


stuck on you

by shadocoon



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Dating, Eventual Smut, F/F, Fluff, So is Edelgard, also edelgard minus war and trauma equals five times more gay panic, but it's like a gradual relationship and budding love so that's great too, byleth is hot okay, gay dangly earring byleth, hot barista byleth, i love edeleth with my whole heart, realizing now that this didn't end up being a slowburn, this is my attempt at slowburn but i'm impatient so we'll see how it goes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2020-12-27 01:04:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 36,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21110147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadocoon/pseuds/shadocoon
Summary: Since when was she such a mess? It wasn’t like Byleth was the first attractive person she’d ever seen. Hell, she’d had crushes before. But this woman, she was justtoo hot. There was something about her face and her arms and her neck. There was something about the way she managed to look like a model in her uniform polo and apron. It was distracting and downright irresponsible. What if Edelgard had been driving when she had seen her? It would’ve been a tragedy.Also known as: Edelgard has a massive crush on the hot barista and doesn't know what to do with herself.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i love edeleth with my whole heart, and they deserve to fall in love without the war, trauma, and dragons. so i'm writing them a coffee shop au! i hope you enjoy :)

Edelgard von Hresvelg was running late. It was only to meet up with a friend to work on an Econ project, and she had already sent an apologetic text, but still… Edelgard _ did not _ run late. It wasn’t her fault either. It was all because of the barista at Seirosbucks.

She had already been a few minutes behind schedule by the time she arrived at the coffee shop, but she could not properly start her day without tea. Which, yes, she could and usually did make it at home, but going back to her dorm would add at least twenty minutes to her tardiness. That, and she had been at her father’s office all morning for an important meeting.

She didn’t usually go to Seirosbucks, but there was one right by the university library where she was meeting up with Dorothea. Edelgard barely glanced up from her phone as she entered the establishment. She had to text Dorothea that she was almost there and then tell her that yes, of course she would get her a drink to make up for it. There was also an email from her father to answer and multiple texts that had piled up as a result of the three-hour-long meeting.

There was a line that had probably materialized just to make her morning even longer. That or it was the 11:09 AM rush. Soft jazz played over the Seirosbucks speakers. Edelgard moved forward in the line on autopilot, only paying enough attention to make sure she didn’t bump into the person in front of her. 

“...you like?”

Edelgard almost dropped her phone mid-text. The barista was staring at her, hand poised over the cash register. Edelgard opened her mouth to apologize, but she found herself at a loss for words. The barista was drop-dead gorgeous. Her eyes were deep blue, and her face was simultaneously delicate and handsome. Her head was cocked at a slight angle as she continued to wait for the delayed order. There was nothing impatient about her expression, but Edelgard felt like she was being evaluated by those eyes. 

She found herself reading the barista’s name tag. “Byleth.” That was an interesting name, though she supposed she wasn’t one to talk. 

“Do you know what you would like?” the woman repeated, her voice not unkind. 

“Oh, uh, yes, yes of course. My apologies,” Edelgard spluttered. “One tall earl grey and one grande iced coffee. Please.”

She took a moment to smooth her shirt and adjust her skirt while the barista—while _ Byleth _—finished entering her order. Her hair looked soft as it fell into her face. She pushed it back with a graceful hand, revealing one long earring that dangled from her left ear. It also showed off the side of her neck, which led down her surprisingly broad shoulders and…

“Would you like anything else?”

Edelgard snapped to attention and plastered a smile on her face as she shook her head. She did not trust herself enough to speak in that moment. Shame was already filling her as she realized how much she had been objectifying the poor woman and how much further she was about to go. She held her phone to the scanner and shuffled down to the pickup section of the bar. A small sigh slipped from her lips as she escaped the tense atmosphere. The tension was one-sided, but it was tension all the same.

Since when was she such a mess? It wasn’t like Byleth was the first attractive person she’d ever seen. Hell, she’d had crushes before. But this woman, she was just _ too _hot. There was something about her face and her arms and her neck. There was something about the way she managed to look like a model in her uniform polo and apron. It was distracting and downright irresponsible. What if Edelgard had been driving when she had seen her? It would’ve been a tragedy.

The Seirosbucks was almost empty now of course. Just more proof that the line had existed solely to get in her way. There was only one other person there, and they were typing away at their computer with aggressive strokes, fully absorbed in their work. Edelgard answered a few texts with clumsy hands as she waited for the order. She could barely focus on what she was typing, but the need to distract herself.

“Edelgard?” a soft, deep voice.

She all but jumped out of her skin before realizing that it was just her order being called by Hot Barista Byleth. Had her voice been that deep before? She was standing and waiting with the cup of tea in her hand. Byleth had an almost expectant look in her eyes. Deciding that it would be best to act like a normal human being, Edelgard smiled and reached for the paper cup. Even then, she found herself falling deep into those blue eyes. They were not warm, but they were still inviting. There was a question there, and Edelgard wanted badly to answer it. 

Their hands brushed, fumbled, and the cup of hot tea went flying into the air. 

Time slowed down, allowing Edelgard to watch the cup’s every move as it spun out of control. She managed to step back just in time to stop the boiling liquid from landing on her head, but the front of her coat took the brunt of the blow.

“Fuck,” Edelgard muttered as she took in the damage. 

The coat was made of a thick material, so she hadn’t been hurt, but it was also white and fairly expensive. Her uncle had bought it for her just a few months ago, and she hadn’t been able to wear it in front of him yet. She knew the man well enough to be sure that he would take offense if he never saw her wearing it. Or if she destroyed it.

“Are you okay?”

Edelgard’s brain went into panic mode as she looked up right into a pair of concerned blue eyes. Byleth was on the same side of the counter as her now, brandishing a fistful of paper napkins. She was even hotter standing this close, her blank expression replaced with one of concern. 

“I’m fine, it was my fault, I’m sorry,” Edelgard stammered.

She was growing more and more flustered and it wasn’t a result of her clumsiness. Byleth furrowed her brow, and the corners of her lips turned down a fraction. 

“No. It was my fault.”

She began to dab at Edelgard’s coat with the napkins. Her actions were gentle, precise, and focused. Edelgard felt her mouth grow dry as endless seconds ticked by. It was clear now that Byleth was taller than her by a few inches—a rather easy feat—a piece of information that Edelgard filed away for later. Was it foolish to feel as if the world had stopped in that moment? Probably. To Byleth this inconvenience was just that. A part of her low paying job that she would soon forget. She was just being a good employee. Still, Edelgard thought as she watched Byleth’s hands and listened to her breathing, there was nothing wrong with allowing herself to feel special for just a moment. She glanced up to find that the aggressive typer was still engrossed in whatever they were doing. Apparently they were not making as much of a scene as Edelgard feared. 

“There,” Byleth said in a quiet voice as she stepped back a bit. 

She was still wearing that same small frown, and Edelgard could not help but think of a puppy. Her coat was still a disaster, but it was now damp instead of sodden. 

“Thank you so much. You didn’t have to do that. It _ was _my fault after all.”

Byleth shrugged but said nothing. The frown was gone from her face however, and her eyes were… curious? 

The door opened with a gentle _ whoosh _ of outside air, and Edlegard flinched back from Byleth. They were standing too close. It was strange. 

Byleth looked at her for a moment longer before saying, “Let me get you another tea.”

* * *

Edelgard tried to summon an aura of calm as she entered the Indech Library study room. Dorothea was sitting at the table scribbling in a work notebook and listening to music. She looked up, popped out an earbud, and watched as Edelgard closed the door behind her and dropped her bag to the floor.

“There you are! You’re thirty minutes late you know,” she huffed. 

“Sorry, sorry.” Edelgard smiled and handed over her friend’s iced coffee. “It won’t happen again.”

She knew Dorothea too well to think she was actually annoyed. And even if she didn’t, the smile on the girl’s face would have been enough to tip her off. 

“You’re also…” Dorothea trailed off as her eyes took in Edelgard’s appearance, “Wet. Why are you wet?”

Damn. Guess there was no hiding that one. Despite Byleth’s efforts, her white coat wasn’t doing a great job at hiding its recent run in with a full cup of earl grey. Dorothea took a sip of her drink and waited for an explanation. Edelgard sighed as she removed the wet garment and placed it on the back of her chair. Its fate was in the hands of the dry cleaners now. 

“Hello? Edie? You in there?” Dorothea was staring at her with a bemused expression.

Edelgard sat down and smoothed her skirt. “I’m fine. I just had an… ordeal at Seirosbucks.”

“I’ve had plenty of ‘ordeals’ at Seirosbucks, but I’ve never come away looking like a wet dog. Did you take a bath in the sink? Did someone mistake you for their spouse’s mistress and throw their drink on you in revenge?” There was a mischievous grin on Dorothea’s face. 

Instead of answering right away, Edelgard busied herself with taking her laptop out of her bag. Dorothea was teasing her, but she would also never let her get away without a genuine explanation. Even just thinking about what happened ten minutes ago was enough to make her feel flustered. She tried to pretend for a moment that the cramped GMU study room was a conference room at Crimson Corp. and that Dorothea was a difficult client who she had to show her most professional self to. It worked to a degree. 

“The barista was clumsy, and she spilled my tea,” she answered as she entered her computer password. 

She felt a pang of guilt for lying about the woman who she hardly knew when it was her own fault, but the shorter the lie the better. Accusing green eyes bored into her, and Edelgard wished for a moment that her friend was less perceptive. Edelgard looked back to her screen and busied herself with opening up the readings they were going to talk about. 

“So, you’re going to go back there to ask them out, right?” Dorothea sang, “This clumsy barista.”

“I mean she’s probably not straight,” Edelgard mused as she shared a Google Doc with Dorothea, “She had one of those gay dangly earrings in one ear so you’d think...” 

Dorothea snorted out a poorly concealed laugh, and Edlegard felt herself flush as she realized just how much she’d just said. Maybe Dorothea was _ too _easy to talk to. 

“That’s beside the point,” Edelgard spluttered, attempting—and failing—to regain her composure, “I’m not going to ask someone out while they’re working. That’s just harassment. And I didn’t say anything about being _ attracted _to her. I said that she spilled my drink. You really do have a wild imagination Dorothea.”

Dorothea shrugged and opened her own laptop. “Let’s just say I have a sixth sense for love and all things love related. And a seventh sense for when you’re trying to hide things from me, Edie.”

_ Love? _She had said no such thing.

“I said no such thing,” Edelgard huffed. 

Dorothea looked up, her eyes wide and oozing innocence. “I’m sorry, what did you not say?”

“I said nothing about ‘love.’ Your silly romantic thoughts are running away with you. Now you’ll see I shared a document with you. I’m assuming you have notes on the readings. Let’s make this quick, so you get to rehearsal on time.”

“Of course, Edie. Let’s get to work.”

Dorothea did not mention the hot barista for the rest of the afternoon, though a smirk lingered on her face. Edelgard could only hope she would never bring it up again. 

Love. Truly a ridiculous notion when Edelgard had exchanged approximately ten words with the girl—and none of them functional on her end. 

She would never see her again anyway. Nothing wrong with acknowledging that an attractive stranger is just that. Edelgard had too much control over herself to give over to Dorothea’s teasing. There was no time for such nonsense in her senior year of college anyway. And she had her whole life ahead of her for relationships. 

There would be plenty of beautiful, intriguing, handsome, captivating women to fall in love with later. 

Though she found herself thinking back to that look of curiosity she had seen in Byleth’s eyes and what it could mean. Could she be imagining it, or was the girl interested in her too?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so that's chapter one! i'm hoping to update on a weekly basis, so make sure to subscribe or check back in soon!
> 
> feedback means the world, so feel free to comment and/or hit me up on twitter @shadocoon!
> 
> (the pining truly begins in chapter 2)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow, thank you so much for reading the first chapter of my fic! i really thought i would get 5 hits and 1 kudos on this so i'm really blown away that people seem to like it so much ;~;
> 
> here's chapter two as promised. it's a bit shorter than chapter one but i'll remedy that soon! :)

Edelgard sighed and leaned back in her desk chair. Data and dollar signs swam behind her eyelids. Her father was expecting a draft of the proposal in the morning, and she still didn’t feel ready to send it over. Crimson Corp. was one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the country. The merger Edelgard was working on was an important part of strengthening their foothold on the west coast. Her father had trusted her with the proposal, which was an honor. It was also a huge source of stress, and she couldn’t wait to be done with it. It had to be perfect, but she had been working all night, and there was only so much she could do before it was officially morning. 

The sun was beginning to rise. How she wished she could sleep.

Just a couple more hours of work, and she would have to call it. It was only a draft, but she couldn’t send her father anything sloppy. Edelgard was going to take the company over one day, and she couldn’t let anyone doubt in her ability as heir.  _ Especially  _ her father. The man had enough on his mind without worrying about her. Luckily, she and Dorothea had finished their project the day before, so she had been able to spend all day and night on the merger. They still had to give their presentation that afternoon, but she wasn’t too worried. It was an easy class, and the work her father gave her was more important.

Anyway, Edelgard liked working. She liked being busy and focused. Free time made her anxious. Especially over the past week when her mind would wander and find its way to… well that wasn’t important. There was no room in her life for silly fantasies or school girl crushes.

Because—despite what she’d said to Dorothea last weekend—she did seem to have a crush on Hot Barista Byleth. Unless there was another word for constantly thinking about a person you barely knew and wondering what it would be like to make them laugh, or if their hair was as soft as it looked...

Edelgard’s alarm blared from the bedside table where she had left her phone plugged in. She silenced it with a tap to her watch and blinked hard to shake herself out of her dangerous thoughts. Time to return to reality. 

It was Friday morning, which meant she would be able to relax soon. There was one more day of work to get through, and she had made sure to schedule herself an uneventful weekend. First order of business: the proposal. She pressed send after one more moment of hesitation and felt a great weight lift from her shoulders. 

It was hard to feel stressed about the rest of her day now that real life was out of the way. She had managed to structure her schedule so she didn’t have class on Fridays. The week ended up being front-loaded, with most of her classes meeting on Monday and Tuesday, but it was worth it. It meant she could devote her weekends to personal projects and socializing. And homework of course, but she was usually ahead by the time Friday came around.

The weekend couldn’t come soon enough.

* * *

By the time Edelgard finished her morning routine, it was a bit after eight in the morning. She and Dorothea were having one more meeting over lunch, and then they would head over to the presentations together. That meant Edelgard had four hours to do as she pleased. 

She smoothed down her hair and finished buttoning her shirt while standing in front of her full body mirror. All it took was a good shower to make her look and feel awake after pulling that all-nighter.

Now the only thing her morning was missing was a nice cup of tea. The days were only getting colder, and the caffeine boost would do her well. But she was surely too tired to heat up the water herself. And it would be good for her health if she stretched her legs after sitting in front of her computer all night. 

Yes, fresh air, a walk, and a nice cup of tea were just what Edelgard needed. 

The coffee place near her dorm was too close though. If she really wanted to get her blood pumping, it made more sense to go to the Seirosbucks near Indech. Edelgard continued walking. Around ten minutes later she was there.

The air inside was warm but pleasantly so. It was always a gamble in October, with the temperature being anywhere from 50 to 80 degrees. Despite her attempts to tell herself she was only there to get tea, Edelgard was filled with an all too familiar feeling of disappointment as she scanned behind the counter. No head of blue hair. No Hot Barista Byleth. For the fifth day in a row. 

That settled it. Edelgard had been hallucinating that Sunday morning. She had imagined the hottest woman possible and tortured herself for a week. Wonderful. 

She strode up to the cash, hoping to maintain an air of dignity. She really did want tea, even if she had to get it from a real person instead of an imaginary goddess. 

“What can I get for you?” a small voice asked. 

Behind the counter was a girl with purple hair. Edelgard couldn’t quite place her, but she had definitely seen her before.

“A tall Earl Grey, please,” Edelgard sighed despite herself.

The girl blanched at her dejected tone. Edelgard felt bad for upsetting her with her bad mood, but it was hard to contain. Suddenly, it hit her where she knew this barista from.

“You wouldn’t happen to be in Advanced Figure Drawing would you?” Edelgard ventured. 

No response. It was not surprising. She was certain now that they had taken multiple art classes together, and this was the first time Edelgard had ever heard her speak.

“Bernadetta was it?” Edelgard tried again, brow furrowed.

Bernadetta sighed far deeper than Edelgard had. “Yes, I’m… that’s me. You’re… Edelgard, right?”

She looked up from the cash register and stared at a point right over Edelgard’s shoulder.

Edelgard made sure not to make any sudden movements as she paid. “Yes, that’s right. You wouldn’t happen to know when…” her voice hitched ever so slightly, “when Byleth works, would you?”

A thrill shot through her, and she realized it was the first time she had said Byleth’s name out loud. She hadn’t even told Dorothea despite her pestering throughout the week. Bernadetta was staring at her with wide eyes now. Her expression was asking, “why do you want to know?” and Edelgard could only hope that she would be too nervous to ask. It was a mean thought, but it was probably against Seirosbucks company policy to tell a random person your coworker’s schedule. At least Bernadetta’s vague panic probably meant Byleth was a real person. 

“Sheonlyworksontheweekends,” Bernadetta mumbled, “Have a nice day.”

She then turned and began making Edelgard’s tea. What an interesting girl. She had been perfectly civil, hadn’t she? What was there to be scared about? But she couldn’t focus on Bernadetta’s anxious energy for too long.

_ She only works on the weekends. _

Edelgard was too excited—she knew that much—but she couldn’t help it. Maybe she would be able to see Byleth tomorrow. The thought sent her heart thudding. But a new feeling of curiosity and vague fear began to bloom when she realized she would  _ actually see _ Byleth again. It was easy to have a pointless crush on someone you barely knew, but what if all of those feelings fizzled after they had a conversation? What if they were incompatible? What if Edelgard was never able to see her laugh, to  _ make  _ her laugh?

With those sickening thoughts as her only companions, Edelgard shuffled down to the pickup counter where Bernadetta had placed her drink without a word. She took a sip of the too-hot tea and sat at an empty table.

It would be the best case scenario if they weren’t compatible. Edelgard had said to Dorothea that she didn’t want to ask Byleth out. She had no time for dating and probably wouldn’t for a while. There was the company to worry about, her senior year, her father not knowing she was gay. Her complete lack of experience and strong desire to not embarrass herself in front of the most beautiful person she had ever seen. All valid reasons for this crush to be fleeting. 

Then why did the thought of Byleth finding her boring bruise her heart so? She was just a random person, a stranger, someone with no bearing on her life. And Edelgard wanted to see her again more than anything. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a bit short like i said, but i hope you enjoyed! i'll be posting chapter three on wednesday because this one was so short. it just felt important to me to get a little bit of exposition and setup going.
> 
> if you have any thoughts feel free to let me know here or on twitter where i'm @shadocoon!
> 
> see you all on wednesday
> 
> -sarah


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> without further ado, here is chapter 3! i wanted to get this one out early since chapter 2 was so short and byleth-less.  
enjoy more gay panic edelgard than ever before!

Edelgard had been looking forward to a quiet evening. She had been waiting all week to play Warriors of Archanea, her favorite MMO. She had made plans to do the new WoA raid with her close friend, Hubert. It had been an exhausting week, and the last thing she wanted to do was go out or even really talk to anybody.

But no. A quiet evening was not in the cards. Not if Dorothea had anything to do with it. 

“It’s a tattoo parlor, Edie, not a strip club!” she exclaimed, “Though God knows there’s nothing wrong with that either…”

Edelgard rubbed her forehead and took a bite of her frozen yogurt. “I just don’t want to go out tonight, Dorothea. Can’t you get the tattoo next weekend? I can put it in my calendar.”

She reached to take her phone out of her bag and yelped when Dorothea flicked an M&M at her. A narrow miss. 

“What was that for?” she demanded. 

Dorothea popped one of the sweets into her mouth. “Just hang out with me without it being in your calendar for once.”

Edelgard sighed. “Alright, you win.”

“Good,” she grinned, “I already made the appointment. Meet you in front of Indech at seven?”

They finished their celebratory yogurt in amicable silence. They had done well on their presentation, surprising no one. Dorothea was more into… having a good time at school than Edelgard was, but she was still a dedicated student. She had to keep her grades up to maintain her full ride to GMU, she just didn’t mind enjoying herself while doing it. 

Edelgard’s mind flashed to Hot Barista Byleth. Maybe Dorothea had the right idea. Maybe she should try having more fun

* * *

Edelgard arrived at the library at 6:58 PM. No Dorothea yet. She leaned against a column and pulled out her phone. She sent out a few apology texts for disappearing for the past few days. Her friends were used to her work schedule, and none took it personally, but she still felt guilty after the fact. 

Maybe if this didn’t take too long she would still have time to relax and play some video games at home. It would be the perfect way to not think about beautiful blue-haired baristas for a few hours. 

“There you are!” Dorothea waved as she approached. 

Edelgard smiled and held up a hand in greeting. Dorothea was wearing a wide smile and her usual impeccable makeup. She was also wearing shorts somehow. Just looking at her was enough to make Edelgard feel cold. 

“Nice coat.” Dorothea smirked. “Let’s try to avoid coffee shops on the way downtown.”

Edelgard looked down at her previously ruined white coat. Dry cleaners really were miracle workers. Instead of responding, she marched away toward the bus stop, leaving Dorothea to jog after her laughing. 

“You shouldn’t pout, Edie. It makes teasing you too fun.”

Edelgard made sure Dorothea saw her roll her eyes. “What’s the name of this place anyway?”

* * *

_ Ostia Ink. _

The odd name was emblazoned on the front window of the tattoo parlor in golden lettering. The storefront was small but inviting. With the sun setting earlier each day, it was already beginning to grow dark out. Warm light spilled out onto the sidewalk, beckoning Edelgard inside. 

They stepped through the door and into a small foyer area. There was a young man with round glasses and green hair sitting behind a desk. He looked up from a sketchbook and smiled at them in greeting. 

“Welcome to Ostia Ink! Do you have an appointment?” he asked with nervous cheer. 

“Dorothea Arnault? I booked an 8 PM slot.”

They were seated, and Dorothea worked on filling out some waivers. Edelgard took the time to observe her surroundings. They were sitting in a small room with their backs to the window. All of the available wallspace was covered in layers of stickers, and there was a hallway that led back past the front counter. Edelgard was occupied with staring at a sticker that read, “Pick a God and Pray!” when Dorothea stood up. 

“Are you ready?”

She nodded and followed Dorothea, still thinking about the odd sticker. Why would anyone need to put something like that on a wall or a notebook or anywhere at all? Edelgard had multiple ear piercings, but the shop she went to had a different, more pristine feel to it. They also didn’t do tattoos. She was curious to see what the rest of Ostia Ink looked like. The spectacled employee led them back to a different room with green, stickerless walls. The tattoo artist was busy organizing her supplies when they entered. 

Edelgard took in the tight black jeans and well-muscled arms before her eyes traveled up to thick blue hair tied in a ponytail. 

“Hot Ba-” Edelgard bit down before she could finish saying Hot Barista Byleth out loud.

She gulped. _ Hot Barista Byleth? _Here? Now? Not a dream? She reeled with a combination of surprise and attraction. She was here, and she looked so damn good. Edelgard’s eyes darted across Byleth’s frame as she took in her sharp jaw, tanned skin, had she mentioned her muscles? If she had looked good in her Seirosbucks polo, this muscle tank was even more dangerous. And those jeans fit too well… 

Edelgard dug her fingernails into her palms in an attempt to control herself. It felt like she had been ogling Hot Tattoo Artist Byleth for eons, but only a few seconds had passed since they’d entered the room. 

The object of her attraction turned to them finally in a flourish of romance movie slo-mo that Edelgard knew she was imagining. Byleth’s ponytail revealed the slope of her neck, and Edelgard had to tear her eyes away and plant them firmly on her gorgeous face instead.

Byleth looked at them with a blank expression. She opened her mouth to greet them, but recognition sparked in her eyes, causing her to hesitate. 

“Your coat’s clean,” she said simply, a small, relieved smile coming to her face. 

Edelgard’s heart stuttered into double time. “It’s, yes, I got it cleaned.”

Stupid.

“I’m glad.”

Dorothea looked back and forth between the two, her brow furrowed. “Do you two know each other?”

“We, uh, we met the other day,” Edelgard responded without looking at Dorothea.

Dorothea held out her hand to Byleth, her confusion replaced with knowing amusement. “Hi. I’m Dorothea.”

Byleth’s broke eye contact with Edelgard, leaving her with an instant yearning. She gave Dorothea’s hand a curt shake. 

“Byleth. Take a seat, and we can go over the design one last time before I do the stencil.”

Byleth grabbed a chair that had been sitting against the wall and brought it closer to where she had told Dorothea to sit.

“You can sit here… Edelgard. Right?” Her voice was velvet.

“Right!” Edelgard squeaked, “I, yes, I’m surprised you remember my name.”

She took a seat and avoided Byleth’s eyes. She remembered her name? How? Why? Byleth snorted out a puff of breath that was almost like a laugh. 

“How could I forget the name of the girl I spilled hot tea all over?”

“I suppose I remember you for a similar reason. Though it was my fault.”

Byleth shrugged, and Edelgard’s panic started to fade. Maybe it helped to have Dorothea there, watching her with a barely concealed smile. Maybe it helped that she had been thinking about Byleth for the past week and wasn’t as caught off guard by her hotness this time. Maybe it was because their conversation—brief though it was—was enjoyable. Was there some chemistry there after all? Perhaps she had worried over nothing.

“Hello?” Dorothea called from right next to them, “Maybe you two could finish this conversation later. Over drinks or something?”

Dorothea! The nerve of that girl. 

“Ah, sorry,” Byleth responded, “We met at my other job last weekend. I didn’t expect to see you.” The last bit was directed at Edelgard again.

Byleth gave Edelgard one last lingering and unreadable look before getting to work. 

She hadn’t said no. Dorothea had said they should talk over drinks, and Byleth _ hadn’t said no. _Granted, she hadn’t addressed the suggestion at all, but what if that silence was a future yes? Edelgard entertained her flight of fancy in the back of her mind as she watched Dorothea and Byleth discuss the tattoo. After a few minutes, it looked like Dorothea had finished deciding what she wanted.

Dorothea held the translucent paper against the inside of her forearm. “What do you think, Edie?”

Edelgard found herself looking at a delicate line drawing of a rose. It was beautiful and absolutely suited Dorothea. She said as much, earning a warm smile from her friend and a satisfied nod from Byleth. 

“I was thinking it would look good right…” Byleth adjusted the position of the design a bit. “Here,” she finished.

“Perfect!” Dorothea exclaimed.

Edelgard watched Byleth’s hands as she set to applying the stencil to Dorothea’s arm. She was so deft and gentle, her eyes focused as she made sure to place the design in the exact spot they had agreed on. After peeling away the paper and receiving Dorothea’s final approval, Byleth fiddled with her phone for a moment. Dorothea seized the moment to shoot Edelgard a look. She waggled her eyebrows suggestively and mouthed, “She’s hot.”

Edelgard shot back a silent, “I know,” in exasperation. Anyone could see that! You might as well mention that the _ sun _was hot or that the Nabata Desert was hot. Dorothea chuckled, causing Byleth to look up.

“I hope you don’t mind music,” she said, “Helps me focus.”

She pressed play on her phone, and a set of Bluetooth speakers in the corner of the room started playing some indie rock Edelgard hadn’t heard before. Dorothea exclaimed that she loved the song, and Edelgard remained quiet. She didn’t want to seem uncool. 

After putting on gloves and checking her gear one last time, Byleth got to work. It was beautiful to watch. Edelgard was entranced within seconds. Byleth did not attempt to make conversation, and Dorothea seemed content to close her eyes and listen to the music. As a result, Edelgard was left alone with her thoughts for more than an hour. The time was a blur—mostly—her brain jumping from one topic to the next.

Byleth’s fingers would be pressing into Dorothea’s skin at one moment, gently holding her wrist the next. At times she would put the tattoo gun down and wipe away at the skin with sure strokes. Even in gloves and stained with ink, those hands were beautiful. Edelgard wondered how they felt on Dorothea’s skin. Was her friend unfazed by the proximity or did she too feel the electricity that Edelgard was experiencing just from watching? She hoped it was the former. If Dorothea liked Byleth too… She did not want to let herself finish the thought.

Even after telling her mind not to go in that direction, Edelgard felt herself growing jealous. Of Byleth and Dorothea’s closeness. Of the physical touch. She recognized how absurd she was being but couldn’t seem to stop. 

“Let me just clean it… there. You’re done.”

Byleth’s words broke the spell that had fallen over Edelgard, and she was able to shake herself out of the sudden melancholy. Dorothea stood up and walked over to the mirror. She twisted her arm this way, that way, admiring the art that was now adorning her skin. Edelgard had never seen a fresh tattoo before. The lines were so stark and clean. She could understand why Dorothea had wanted one now. Maybe one day she would have to get a tattoo as well. And if she got it from Byleth… well there would be nothing wrong with that. 

Dorothea finally turned to her, beaming. “What do you think, Edie?”

“It’s wonderful, Dorothea. Truly.”

Sometimes Edelgard was caught off guard by how beautiful Dorothea was. She was always gorgeous of course. But it was moments like this, when she was so genuinely happy, that reminded Edelgard of the little crush she’d had on her when they first became friends at the beginning of freshman year. Dorothea hugged her with one arm. 

“Thanks for coming with me, love,” she said. 

Before pulling away she placed a kiss on Edelgard’s cheek, leaving her confused and blushing. Byleth was staring at them, her expression odd. She was holding a camera now. 

“May I?”

A few pictures and a bandage later, Edelgard and Dorothea were getting ready to leave. 

“Would you be a dear and grab my bag? I’m going to run ahead and pay.” Dorothea gave Edelgard’s shoulder a quick squeeze and left.

Edelgard stood in shocked silence for a few heartbeats. Just what was Dorothea up to? She was ready to go, there was no reason to leave her behind, unless… Edelgard became aware of Byleth standing a foot away from her, and it all became clear. She and Dorothea were going to have a talk on the bus about her plotting.

“I think your friend had a good idea.”

“Pardon?” Edelgard was surprised to hear Byleth’s voice.

“Drinks. Like Dorothea said. It’s the least I can do to pay you back for the coat.” Byleth supplied her usual hint of a smile, her eyes warm. “If you’d like to of course.”

* * *

Edelgard looked down at her phone one more time to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. She was standing in the bus on the way back uptown toward GMU. 

_ “Byleth.” _ The name shone from the screen, the woman’s phone number directly below it. Edelgard was worried the contact info would vanish if she looked away for too long. A part of her wanted to edit the name to “Hot Barista Byleth,” but she settled for adding the coffee emoji to the end. She hummed a little tune to herself in pleasure. 

“Just what are you smiling to yourself about?” Dorothea leaned towards her from where she was standing. 

Edelgard tilted her phone screen away a bit too hurriedly. “A meme,” she answered. 

Dorothea scowled. “It’s not from that game you’re always playing is it?”

“It sure is.” Edelgard smirked. 

“Ugh. Boring,” she sighed and turned back to her own phone. 

Edelgard wasn’t sure how much Dorothea believed her, but she appreciated the lack of prying. 

The day felt too good to be true. She had found Byleth again, and now they had plans to get drinks. And she had her _ number. _Edelgard did not believe in fate, but maybe—just maybe—there was a hint of truth to that notion. 

Or maybe the bus they were on was about to crash in order to balance out the universe. Either way, Edelgard could not stop herself from smiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> byleth making ~moves~ i wonder what'll happen next? :D
> 
> if you have any thoughts on the story so far lmk in the comments or on my twitter @shadocoon!
> 
> -sarah


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i just wanna give a quick shoutout to all of the lovely folks who've brainstormed, beta'd, and just chatted with me! this story would truly be not as good without them :P 
> 
> @auralions, @sapphic_plant, @ratbaby696, @jpegfrost, and @abbyosity (these are their twitters lol) have helped me come up with all of my good ideas and made sure it's not a grammatical mess! (or just come up with stupid ideas with me) thanks dudes <3
> 
> i hope y'all enjoy chapter 4!!

A deafening roar filled the cavern, reverberating off of the jagged walls. Dust and debris rained down on the Flame Emperor but bounced harmlessly off of their heavy armor. Everything grew silent, but the Flame Emperor knew better than to think they and their companions were safe. The Black Eagles had tussled with this monster before. They would not be caught unawares. They could sense him skulking around in the shadows, looking for his chance to strike.

The Flame Emperor tightened their grip on the haft of their axe as they took a step forward. Their companions remained at the entrance of the cavern, awaiting their leader’s signal. Any moment now he would show himself.

The Flame Emperor grew apprehensive despite themself. It was always the waiting that set off their nerves. A few deep breaths and another step into the darkness was enough to bring their mind back to focus. Grima’s cavern was so large and dark that it was near impossible to see the ceiling. Despite the size, the stalactites and stalagmites that dripped from the ceiling and erupted from the ground made the cave feel cramped.

“Show yourself, beast,” the Flame Emperor declared with a growl. 

The roar came once again. Both high-pitched and deep, it was a shriek, howl, and scream all at once. The Flame Emperor took a two-handed hold of their axe and adopted a defensive stance. They were ready. Seconds passed in near silence, the cavern still ringing with echoes. 

Then he emerged. 

Grima was as gigantic and ugly as ever. His rows of sword-sized fangs were bared, viscous drool dripping from his maw. His red eyes flashed with cold anger as his length emerged from the deep shadows. Dragon bastard.

He shot forward without hesitation. Long wicked horns screamed against the metal of the Flame Emperor’s axe as they raised it just in time to block. It was a powerful blow, but new strength seeped into the Flame Emperor’s bones as one of their ally’s buffing spells took effect. With a grunt, the Flame Emperor pushed back. The beast slammed into the far wall of the cavern but was back up in a heartbeat, ready for more. 

“Come at me, vile monster!” the Flame Emperor screamed their challenge. 

Grima was more than happy to oblige. They soon fell into a violent rhythm of strikes, blocks and parries. Despite their experience fighting, the Flame Emperor was unable to avoid some of the Fell Dragon’s faster strikes. They rolled out of the way of a powerful attack just in time, head spinning. 

In that moment, Grima’s many eyes left the Flame Emperor’s form and finally landed on a black robed figure near the entrance of the cavern. The man had been casting spell after spell on the monster since the battle had begun. He was incredibly powerful, his dark magic eating away at Grima unnoticed until now. No matter the power of his offensive magic, a hit from Grima would be bad news. The man’s mouth drew into a thin line as he began to back away. His hands continued to contort in the shapes of a spell as he retreated, but he would be as good as dead in seconds. 

The Flame Emperor got to their feet with a growl. They were near dead themself, but they trusted their cleric to see to them before it was too late. Besides, Grima was in even worse shape than they were. That was likely why the beast was attempting to go after easier prey. There was no time to wait, this victory would mean little to nothing if they did not all survive. 

With the last of their stamina, the Flame Emperor sprinted after the dragon. It was hard to run in heavy armor, but they did not have to travel far before they were close enough to unleash one final attack. 

With a giant leap, they were soon soaring above Grima’s large frame. They held their axe high and let out a scream of rage and defiance. Those glowing red eyes glanced up in time to see the glint of red and gold. A sickening crunch, and all was still. 

The Flame Emperor wrenched their axe free and leapt the long way down to the ground before Grima’s body could disintegrate underneath them. It did so moments later, leaving the cavern empty, save the four warriors who had slain the beast. 

“Beautifully done, Your Majesty.” A smooth voice came from behind them.

The Flame Emperor turned to meet the eyes of the dark bishop, Miasma. He looked no worse for wear. Very good. They had made it in time.

“That was incredible! We’re honestly the coolest team ever!” 

The shout came from the Flame Emperor’s war master companion, Brawny. The man was covered in scrapes and bruises from his own battle with Grima’s minions, but the wounds were closing up as he was healed by their fourth and final companion. 

Miasma smirked. “Yes, perhaps we are the ‘coolest team ever.’”

“Very cool and very  _ reckless. _ ” Their healer finally emerged from where he had been hiding. “Do you know how much work it is to keep you all alive?”

The Flame Emperor winced. “Sorry…” 

“All you do is heal anyway. We’re just making it more fun for you!” the bombastic war master crowed.

The two broke into an argument, leaving the Flame Emperor and the dark bishop to collect Grima’s loot. By the time they were done, the war master and healer had cooled down enough for them to divvy everything up. After each warrior took their share, they sent the rest of the gold and equipment right to the coffers of the Black Eagles.

The Flame Emperor was filled with pride as they watched their companions converse, all standing together after the battle. They had brought this group together, and they were growing stronger by the day. Soon everyone in Archanea would know the name of the Black Eagles.

“Our work here is done,” the dark bishop intoned, “We grow ever stronger.”

“No need to be so dramatic,” the healer yawned.

With a start, the Flame Emperor realized how late it had grown. They had lost track of time while crawling through the dungeon and slaying Grima and his minions.

“Same time tomorrow?” they asked.

Brawny shook his head. “Nah, we can’t, we have rehearsal tomorrow night.”

“Damn, I forgot.”

“Don’t worry!,” he crowed, “We’ll chat you. Later!” 

With a small pop, he vanished before the Flame Emperor’s eyes. The healer followed suit, and the dark bishop gave a slight nod of his head before doing the same. With that, the Flame Emperor was left by themself in Grima’s lair.

* * *

Edelgard leaned back in her desk chair and went through a series of stretches that elicited pops and cracks from her neck, shoulders, wrists, and each individual finger. She stood up with a groan and massaged the small of her back. It was too easy to lose track of time when she was playing Warriors of Archanea. Her phone buzzed with a series of Discord notifications.

[friendly ghost]: sorry we had to dip! lin was bitching about being sleepy

[Hubert]: Interesting new username, Caspar.

[friendly ghost]: thanks!!! spooky season y’all

[hardtstopper]: i wasn’t bitching

[Hubert]: …

[hardtstopper]: caspar made me change it

[friendly ghost]: like heartstopper! like scary! cmon hubert i thought ud like spooky stuff

[Hubert]: It is surprisingly clever for you, Caspar, I’ll give you that.

Edelgard did not have the energy to respond to her friends. Her eyes stung from staring at the screen, and her head was pounding. She had been playing WoA for hours every day for the past four days to take her mind off of reality. But the second she logged out, the truth came crashing back down.

Byleth hadn’t texted her.

It had been four days since they’d exchanged contact info and still nothing. If she thought about it too much she began to feel sick, hence the intense amount of gaming. She was also waiting for another round of edits for the merger, so she couldn’t even distract herself with work. Edelgard dropped her head onto her desk and listened to the endless vibrating of her phone. She loved her friends but she was seconds away from muting them for a few hours. Minutes passed in stillness. The only sounds in Edelgard’s room being her phone and the hum of her computer.

Why hadn’t she texted? Was it all a prank? Did she forget about her? Was she too busy hanging out with other girls? There were too many possibilities, and none of them were good. Or Edelgard was overreacting wildly and needed to calm down.

Edelgard stood up with a start. She wasn’t a love struck little girl, she was Edelgard von Hresvelg, and she would be damned if she spiraled any further into this pining. She had to get out of her room. It was past 10:30 PM, and she had class in the morning, but the air inside was thick with her self pity and was going to drive her out of her mind. Edelgard pulled a sweater over her head, traded her sweatpants out for jeans, and donned a red beanie. Wallet and keys. No need to bring her phone, it would only remind her of why she was feeling this way. 

It was cold out, but Edelgard relished the feeling. Already she felt better. There was nothing that calmed her mind like solitude. Walking around campus alone didn’t distract her as much as playing WoA for five hours straight did, but it did have a calming effect. Instead of thinking about Byleth, Edelgard tried to center herself and observe her surroundings. Garreg Mach University had a beautiful campus. It was nestled in the middle of the busy city of Enbarr, but still managed to hold an air of calm and dignity. Edelgard lived in Cichol Hall, the nicest dorm on campus, and the surrounding area was just as lovely as the building itself. 

Cichol Green was groomed and immaculate as always. The whisper of the fountain was one of the few sounds in the night air. On weekends, it was a popular hangout spot for students, but it was deserted this late on a Tuesday. Edelgard relished the quiet. Sometimes she focused so much on balancing her social life and her responsibilities that she forgot how much she truly loved being alone. The ability to be introspective and free of expectations was something she needed now more than she had known. 

Edelgard continued her nighttime stroll, allowing her feet to take her wherever they pleased. The winding campus paths led her past other dorms and academic buildings. There were a few other students out but not many. Most of them were either entering or exiting Indech Library with dazed looks on their faces. Edelgard did not envy them. Whenever she had to stay up late working, she did so in her room so no one could see her in such a vulnerable state. 

Speaking of vulnerable, Edelgard found herself staring into the glass storefront of Seirosbucks across the street. Her mouth grew dry, and her peace of mind vanished. Right. Byleth. But it was a Tuesday, and Byleth only worked there on the weekends. Regardless, there was no reason for her to go inside. The place would be closing soon, and it was too late for a cup of tea. But still, Edelgard found herself crossing the street. Before she knew it, she was standing in front of the door.

There was a surprising amount of people inside given the late hour. Everyone there was likely a desperate GMU student with a long night of studying ahead of them. Maybe it would be good to go inside. To attempt to be there without the fear or want or worry of seeing Byleth. Before she could think about it any further, Edelgard opened the door. Her ears were instantly greeted by the sounds of chatter and R&B music. She preferred it to the jazz that had been playing on the first day she’d met Byleth.

No. Don’t think about her. Not now. Not about the slope of her neck or the idea of her hands. Or those enigmatic eyes. Those enigmatic, deep blue, curious eyes that were staring at her right now from behind the counter. Shit.

“Shit,” Edelgard muttered to herself.

She wasn’t supposed to be working right now. But there she was. Edelgard was still standing near the front door, and Byleth was at the opposite end of the café, but her eyes had locked onto Edelgard within seconds. There was no time to take in her expression or appearance or even wonder what she was doing here. Edelgard had to leave. Not caring about how odd her quick exit may look, she turned on her heel and exited the Seirosbucks. 

The cold air greeted her and cooled the sudden panic that had overcome her mind. Maybe she shouldn’t have left in such a hurry, but there was no going back. Then she would truly seem like a fool. Edelgard set off down the sidewalk in a random direction, her ears beginning to burn with a combination of embarrassment and shame. 

“Wait!”

She stopped despite her better judgement. The single word was commanding and there was a hint of worry there as well. Edelgard did not turn around as she waited for the hurried footsteps to reach her. Whatever was about to happen, it was going to be an awkward conversation at the very least. The footsteps came to a halt right behind her. All was silent for a moment. 

“I’m off in fifteen minutes. Will you wait for me?”

Edelgard still did not turn around. She was not afraid, but she  _ was  _ worried. Worried about what she would see on Byleth’s face, what emotions were lurking behind her beautiful eyes. 

“I will,” she said finally. 

More silence. 

“Thank you.”

Byleth was gone by the time Edelgard turned around. She walked back towards the corner, mind racing. Instead of going back inside, Edelgard sat on the curb, filled with a sudden fatigue. She was being too dramatic about the whole thing, she knew that much, but she couldn’t help it. This relationship—or lack thereof—already felt so important to her. And Byleth’s voice had been so serious. Could she feel the same way? Also, it had just been jarring to see her when she hadn’t been expecting it. That was the main reason she felt so rattled at the moment.

Without her phone to distract her, Edelgard did what she could to wrangle her thoughts. It was not like her to be so worked up, so affected. She took a few deep breaths and felt a wave of calm come over her. Talking to a girl didn’t have to render her a useless fool. She had to keep herself together, and if that meant being cold so be it. Edelgard von Hresvelg would not let a stranger control her thoughts and emotions. 

Edelgard nearly jumped when something warm pressed against her cheek. It was a Seirosbucks cup, Earl Grey tag hanging from the lid. 

“I hope you’re not too cold,” Byleth said as she sat on the ground next to Edelgard. 

Edelgard took the cup and relished in the warmth it provided. She had been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she hadn’t realized how cold she had grown. Going out in a sweatshirt had been fine when she was walking, but a chill had overtaken her since she’d sat still. She took a tentative sip of tea. It was too hot but the heat felt lovely sliding down her throat. 

“Thank you.”

“I’m sorry I haven’t texted you,” Byleth said, “Is that why you're so upset?”

Edelgard laughed despite herself. “When you put it like that I sound rather foolish.”

Byleth shrugged, staring straight ahead into the street. “You’re not foolish. It was pretty rude of me. You didn’t text  _ me _ either though.”

Byleth raised her eyebrows and gave Edelgard a pointed look. There was a hint of humor in her eyes that calmed Edelgard’s nerves. 

Edelgard decided to be honest, though the vulnerability scared her. “I was afraid I would bother you and make you dislike me.”

Now it was Byleth’s turn to laugh. “I barely know you, but I haven’t found anything to dislike yet. Come on.” She stood up and extended her hand. “Let me walk you home.”

Edelgard only hesitated for a heartbeat before accepting the hand. Byleth’s grip was strong and her skin was warm and inviting. Edelgard’s body was filled with a new warmth that had nothing to do with her hot drink. Their hands stayed connected for a moment longer than necessary. Edelgard was not sure who let go first.

They started to walk in silence, Edelgard with hands wrapped around the cup of tea and Byleth with hands shoved deep in the pockets of her denim jacket. 

“You remembered.” Edelgard came to a belated realization. “Earl Grey tea.”

She expected Byleth to say something about the unfortunate way they had met and how it was hard to forget. 

Instead, Byleth breathed, “How could I forget an order from someone so beautiful?”

Edelgard nearly spit out the sip of tea she had just taken. Her head whipped around to look at Byleth, to make sure she hadn’t been imagining the response. Byleth’s blue eyes did not meet her own. She was looking away, gaze fixed on the sky, and… was that the hint of a blush dusting her cheeks? The pink tint was gone as quickly as it had come, and by the time Byleth looked at Edelgard she appeared completely unfazed by what she had said. Edelgard wished she could say the same for herself. She almost convinced herself that she had imagined the whole thing, but no, there was no way. It would be a bit much to add hallucinating to her current of burden of pining and irrationality. 

“We’re here.” Edelgard came to a stop, and Byleth followed suit. “Thank you for walking with me.”

Byleth shrugged, hands still in her pockets. “You’re right near the train, so it’s convenient. I’ll pay you back for the coat soon.”

And she was gone. Edelgard watched, speechless, as Byleth walked away. The coat? She thought she was upset because of the coat? Maybe this wasn’t even going to be a date. It was better this way. Better than Byleth knowing about her crush. 

Edelgard hugged herself tight with one arm to ward off the chill. The wind was picking up, sending the trees branches into a chorus of whispers. She downed the rest of the tea and tossed the cup into the recycling before heading towards the front door. One last look back showed her that Byleth was out of sight, leaving only the swirling of wind-blown leaves in her wake. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> got a little carried away there with the grima fight, but what can i say? i usually write fantasy lol
> 
> i hope you liked the chapter! lemme know what you think in the comments or on twitter @shadocoon
> 
> i'll try to have chapter 5 up next sunday, but if that changes i will tweet about it!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here is chapter 5! warning: it starts out kinda steamy, so i think i'm going to update the rating (hopefully more steamy times in the future ;))
> 
> sorry it's so late! my gf and i spontaneously adopted a kitten so it's been a busy night and now our original cat is mad at us
> 
> enjoy!

Byleth’s hands were soft and sure as they trailed heat down the skin of Edelgard’s back. A sigh escaped her lips as she allowed herself to sink into the feeling, to relish Byleth’s strength and warmth. They were sitting on the bed in her dorm, Edelgard sitting in Byleth’s lap and straddling her. The heat already pooling between her legs spiked as Byleth’s mouth began to work on her neck, biting, sucking, kissing. Moving lower, dipping towards her collarbone. Her hands too, continued their journey down. Edelgard gasped as the heat of Byleth’s mouth met the sensitive peak of her breast. 

Byleth’s hands were on her hips now, her fingers dancing along the top of Edelgard’s underwear, her touches light and teasing. Edelgard threw her head back, her entire world the sensation of Byleth’s mouth.

“Byleth,” Edelgard moaned out the name as she tangled her fingers in silken blue hair.

The name fell from her lips again and again and again and the heat at her core built to near bursting and—

_ Long ago _

_ Just like the hearse, you die to get in again _—

Edelgard woke up, covered in a sheen of sweat. She had kicked her blankets away at some point during the night, leaving them in a heap on the floor. MCR continued to blare from her phone as she attempted to get her bearings. She fumbled at the screen and managed to snooze it after a moment. What the fuck was that? Edelgard had had sex dreams before—she was a self-repressed 23 year-old after all—but none had ever felt so real. She could still remember the feel of Dream Byleth’s hands and mouth. 

_ Long ago _

_ Just like _—

Clearly the universe—or at least Gerard Way—didn’t want her to fall back into her imagination. She turned off the alarm fully this time and sat up. Light streamed into her dorm through the slats in the blinds, casting the room in stripes of sun. Edelgard rubbed at her eyes with the heels of her palms and groaned. She couldn’t ignore the uncomfortable dampness between her legs or the haze of dreaminess that still lingered around her mind. 

“I need a shower,” Edelgard groaned to the empty room. 

After another labored moment, she got up and shambled her way to the bathroom. The top floor of Cichol Hall had private en suites. Edelgard thought it was pointless for a dorm to have that, but she appreciated it at a time like this. Seeing another person right then would have been more than she could handle. She kept flashing back to the dream with a mixture of shame and frustration. Five more minutes and… well she could’ve used five more minutes of sleep. 

Aside from being private, her bathroom wasn’t ostentatious. The room was white with wood accents on the sink and toilet. Edelgard had added her own flare with red towels, but she hadn’t decorated more than that.

The shower was hot and eased the tension Edelgard hadn’t even realized she was holding in her shoulders. She took a few minutes to relish the heat before finally washing herself. It was Thursday, which meant she didn’t have class. There was just one paper she had to finish and then she had the day to look over her father’s edits. She had skimmed his email, and it seemed there wasn’t much for her to do other than tweak some wording. There would likely be more to change later but not quite yet. 

Edelgard went over what she remembered of her father's email while she continued her routine. She managed to wash her face, brush her teeth, and comb her hair without thinking about the dream. The shower had helped even more than she had hoped. Now, instead of being groggy to the point of feeling hungover, she was just mildly dazed. 

Edelgard was instantly met with the sight of her bed upon re-entering her room. Images of the unfinished business from her dream flashed through her mind. There was no way she was going to get any work done in here. Not today. 

“Edie? What’s up?” Dorothea’s voice came from the phone speaker after a few rings. 

“Can I come do work in your room? If you’re not busy of course.”

* * *

Edelgard grabbed another handful of chips from the bag that was open on Dorothea’s bed. Her work lay off to the side, finished and forgotten. Dorothea was next to her, painting her nails with intimidating precision. What had started as a study date had shifted to just hanging out over the course of the afternoon. Edelgard liked spending time in Dorothea’s room. It was clean and cozy and always smelled nice. Like vanilla and peppermint. 

“Dorothea, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something,” Edelgard ventured. 

“It’s about time,” Dorothea exclaimed, “You want dating advice right?”

Edelgard sighed. “I don’t know if it’s dating advice, per se, but I definitely need advice.”

Without another word, Edelgard handed Dorothea her phone with the messages open. Edelgard stared at her friend’s face, waiting for her reaction to the texts from Byleth. She had only been mildly worked up about the messages before that morning, but the dream had worked her mind up into a frenzy. She hadn’t been on a date since high school. How was she supposed to know what to do? She had poured over the text conversation so many times in the past couple of days that she could visualize it without even looking over Dorothea’s shoulder. 

Byleth: are you free friday night? for drinks

Edelgard: Yes! What time were you thinking?

Byleth: i work until 7:30 so 8?

Edelgard: 8 is perfect.

Byleth: great i’ll make sure to pay you back for the coat ;)

Byleth: *:)

Edelgard was not proud of how long she had been thinking about that accidental winky face. It was shameful really. She was like a pubescent boy who had never talked to a girl before. 

Dorothea’s lips curled into a knowing grin. “I knew you’d get her number, Edie, you sly fox.”

Edelgard fiddled with one of her earrings, feeling suddenly self conscious. “Well, I wouldn’t say that _ I _—”

Dorothea placed a silencing hand on her shoulder. “Shhhh, just let me have this, let me be proud.”

Edelgard couldn’t help but laugh. If Dorothea wanted to pretend she had game, Edelgard would not be the one to stop her. She wanted to tell Dorothea about Byleth calling her beautiful, but she still felt like she had imagined the whole thing. Dorothea handed the phone back, holding it so it wouldn’t mess up her drying nail polish. 

“Give me all of the details,” she demanded. 

Just as Edelgard opened her mouth to answer, the door flew open, and Dorothea’s roommate entered in a whirlwind of discarded belongings. Each boot went flying in a different direction as she kicked them off of her feet. Her jacket fell to the ground behind her in a heap with her Louis Vuitton bag. 

Only after tossing her white felt beret onto her unmade bed did she say, “Hey, Doro, I’m home!”

Dorothea gave a long-suffering yet affectionate smile. “Hey, Hildie. How was class?”

Hilda shrugged, walked over to Dorothea’s bed, and grabbed a handful of chips. 

“Oh! Edelgard’s here too. Hope I didn’t interrupt anything steamy or studious.”

“Hello, Hilda.”

Edlegard had to push down her annoyance. She liked Hilda, but it would be harder to talk to Dorothea with her here. 

With a, “Don’t mind me!” Hilda grabbed a manga from her desk and flopped onto her bed. She opened to a point in the middle of the book and began to read while eating her handful of pilfered chips. Edelgard and Dorothea sat in silence for a moment. No matter how many years Edelgard had known Hilda at this point, she was always caught off guard by the girl. As a fashion major, Hilda was always so well-groomed, fashionable, and put together that it was intimidating to most. Even Edelgard—who had complete faith in her own fashion—found herself unsure at times. 

It was always startling to see how messy Hilda was at home. Dorothea never seemed bothered by Hilda’s clutter, as long as it stayed on her side of the room. 

“Anyway.” Dorothea turned back to Edelgard, her eyes dancing with excitement. “Details.

Edelgard glanced over to Hilda, who was seemingly engrossed in what she was reading. She had popped in her Airpods and was bobbing her head to music Edelgard couldn’t hear. She picked at her nails as she considered how much she was going to tell Dorothea. She wanted to say everything that had happened and everything she had felt, but she didn’t want to seem silly or immature. If Edelgard already knew she was being both of those things in regard to Hot Barista Byleth, Dorothea did not have to know as well. But she had come here for her dear friend’s advice and experience.

“We exchanged numbers at the tattoo parlor when you went to pay,” Edelgard started.

Dorothea’s smile grew to a grin of the shit-eating variety. “You’re welcome.”

Edelgard rolled her eyes and continued. “But then she didn’t text me for a bit, which was fine, but I did get a little worried that she had forgotten about me…”

She trailed off, unsure of how much she should reveal about her inner workings and needless anxiety. Dorothea urged her to keep going with a nod.

“But I ended up running into her at Seirosbucks.” She held up a hand to stop Dorothea from saying anything. “I promise you I didn’t think she was going to be there. She apologized for not texting, walked me home, and said she would pay me back for the coat. And then she said that _ again _in the texts. So it feels like she’s just being polite.”

Dorothea’s face was set in a thoughtful frown. Edelgard took another chip as she waited for answers. 

“She could just be shy and dense,” she offered, “Like you.”

Edelgard wanted to be offended, but she knew Dorothea was speaking the truth. 

“Sounds like this chick is just trying to pay you back,” Hilda said. 

Edelgard looked to her, stomach sinking. Her Airpods were on the bed next to her, and she was looking across the room at them instead of at her still open book. 

“You’re probably right.” Edelgard forced a laugh. “I’m just making a big deal out of nothing.”

Dorothea placed a hand on Edelgard’s thigh. Her touch was a comfort. 

“Hildie could be right, but you’re the only one whose talked to her in person right? What else has she said to you?”

Edelgard took a steadying breath and tried to center herself. Dorothea’s hand, still on her leg, was calming. And Hilda—though not originally welcome to the conversation—could be helpful. She would be more brutally honest than Dorothea, and Edelgard _ did _value her opinion. To an extent. The girl was in a committed relationship after all. Though Edelgard was always confused by the match that was Hilda and her much quieter girlfriend, Marianne. 

“She called me beautiful,” Edelgard muttered, “It was completely unprompted. I just asked her how she remembered my favorite kind of tea, and she said it’s because I’m beautiful.”

Neither girl responded for a moment. Dorothea looked almost impressed.

“If this isn’t a date, she’s a fuckboy,” Hilda broke the silence. 

Edelgard looked to Dorothea who shrugged. “She’s right, Edie. There’s being dense, and then there’s being an ass. Let’s hope your dear barista is the former.”

Hilda went back to reading, and Edelgard and Dorothea sat in silence for a moment. Edelgard appreciated having a moment to herself. Both girls seemed to think that Byleth was indeed asking her on a date. That was good! Though it was also bad. It was good because it meant Byleth was interested in her. Which just meant Edelgard had to not fuck up. Edelgard ate a few more chips as she began to spiral into doubt. It was only with situations of a romantic nature that she felt so unsure. School, work, friendships, all under control. But going on a date? It was not in her wheelhouse.

“So are you gonna put out?” Hilda asked as she turned another page in her manga. 

Edelgard proceeded to choke on her food. 

“Pardon?” she coughed. 

“You know.” Hilda looked up, her pink eyes serious. “You gonna show some tit or what?”

“Hilda, quit acting like a highschooler, look how nervous you’re making Edie,” Dorothea chided.

Did high school students speak like that? Not in Edelgard’s experience.

“What?” Hilda smirked. “How do you think I lured Marianne in?”

Edelgard watched the two banter and bicker back and forth without taking in a word. Hilda did raise a decent point--in her own way. What was Edelgard going to wear? She wasn’t planning to “put out,” but she would have to look nice, especially considering how she had looked when she had last seen Byleth. What clothes should she wear? How much makeup? She had to look incredible if she wanted someone like Byleth to think she was beautiful. To _ keep thinking _ she was beautiful. Clothes, makeup, perfume. Should she wear perfume, or would that be too much?

“See? You broke Edie.” Dorothea’s voice brought her back to reality.

Hilda rolled her eyes. “She’s not broken, she’s just inexperienced. Speaking of…” she trailed off, and her eyes narrowed, “Edelgard are you—”

“Enough.” Dorothea’s voice was firm.

Hilda shrugged, devious smile still on her face. “Good luck with your date!”

Dorothea turned to Edelgard and shook her head. “Don’t let her get to you. She has no filter, but she means well.”

“Right…”

“You’re beautiful, Edie,” Dorothea said with a gentle smile, “No matter what you wear on this date you’re going to blow her away. I promise.”

Dorothea’s words were comforting, but they were like a bandaid on the gaping wound that was Edelgard’s confidence when it came to dating. Maybe she would feel better if she was about to go out with someone less striking. Unfortunately, Byleth was the hottest person she had ever seen, so that was off the table.

“Just be yourself,” Dorothea urged, “If she can resist that then she isn’t right for you.”

Edelgard nodded. She wasn’t entirely convinced, but she liked the sound of what Dorothea was saying. No matter how nervous Byleth made her, no matter how much she felt the need to be like--to be desired--by her, Edelgard would not compromise herself. The von Hresvelgs were authentic, stalwart, and earnest. She would have to do her best to remember that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so no byleth in this chapter but there'll be lots of her next time! lemme know what you thought and if there's anything you wanna see happen!
> 
> feel free to hit me up on twitter @shadocoon where you can see pictures of my cat and new kitten!!
> 
> -sarah
> 
> next time: ~the date~


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's first date time for el and byleth! wow i wonder what's gonna happen next!

Edelgard stared at herself in the mirror. She was trying on her third outfit of the night, and she was running out of time. If she wanted to get to the bar on time then she only had fifteen minutes left to get ready. Her current outfit—a white long-sleeved blouse tucked into black dress pants—felt more formal than flirty. With her hair up in a bun, she truly looked like she was about to walk into a business meeting.

Edelgard let her hair down and shook it out and gave herself a firm look. Wearing her hair down made the outfit look a bit softer. That seemed date appropriate. Right? Lipstick felt too serious, so she opted for her favorite red lip tint and a light touch of eyeliner and mascara. 

“You look hot,” she told herself. 

Edelgard checked the address of the bar one more time. It was someplace downtown called The Locket. It was a solid thirty minutes away from her dorm, and she had to be there in thirty-five minutes. After pulling on a pair of boots and donning a coat, Edelgard was ready to go. She felt fairly normal as she left Cichol and went to the subway station. Luckily, the train came within a few minutes, and she was soon seated. Now that she didn’t have to worry about being late, she could worry about everything else. The first couple of times she had run into Byleth, she had been caught off guard and hadn’t known how to function. She felt more confident now in her ability to hold a conversation with the girl in a casual setting, but she hadn’t been on a date since high school.

Romance had not been a part of Edelgard’s college plan, so she had not gone looking for it. The lack of a love life didn’t bother her much either. Her social life, school work, and working with her father had been fulfilling enough. But here she was, about to go on a date. To a bar that she hadn’t heard of. With a woman she barely knew. Saying this was out of her comfort zone was an understatement.

Edelgard kept her eyes on her phone, checking the map every few minutes to make sure she didn’t miss her stop. Dorothea had recommended that she listen to music to pump herself up, so she was playing one of her workout playlists. Eve 6 and Blackpink were not quite the right mood, but the energetic music was a good distraction during her commute.

Before long, Edelgard was exiting the station in downtown Enbarr. She suppressed a shiver as a strong gust of wind blew straight through the fabric of her jacket. It was colder than she had anticipated, so it was a good thing they were going to be inside. There were lots of people traipsing about despite the weather, and Edelgard found herself enjoying the short walk to the bar. Downtown Enbarr was alive in a way that made her feel more excited about her night. If everyone else was out to have a good time right now, then why shouldn’t she?

The Locket was small and crowded. Music, laughter, and warmth spilled out onto the sidewalk where Edelgard stood, suddenly paralyzed. What if Byleth was already there and she had to find her? What if the second she entered everyone inside instantly knew that she never went to bars? She liked to drink a bit with friends but bars were usually so busy and stressful she avoided them most of the time. Was it Standard Date Protocol to wait outside, or should she go in to look for Byleth? After a couple of minutes of waffling in the cold, Edelgard’s phone buzzed.

Byleth: sorry

Byleth: running a little late will you get a table?

Edelgard heaved a sigh of relief at the beautiful timing of the texts. She was still nervous about the bar, about the date, but at least she had a goal now. Edelgard liked having goals. She walked inside and was hit with a wave of noise and the press of bodies. A table, Byleth had said to look for a table, but there were none to be seen. Everyone was standing, drinks in hand. There were a few stools in front of the bar, but they were all full as well.

“ID please?” a man standing next to her said, not unkindly.

“Oh, sorry,” Edelgard responded, feeling herself flush.

Already she was proving herself as an adult woman who had no idea how to act at a bar. She dug her wallet out of her bag and handed the ID over to the bouncer. He looked it over for a moment before handing it back to her with a professional smile.

“You have a nice night now.”

“Thank you, you too.” Edelgard hesitated for a moment before asking, “You wouldn’t happen to have any tables would you?”

The man nodded and pointed to the back of the room. “There’s a back room past here with tables and a second bar. Looking for a quieter night?”

“Yes, I’m, I’m here on a date so…”

Edelgard trailed off, not sure why she had said so much to the bouncer. Luckily, instead of looking uncomfortable, he grinned.

“Go get ‘em then. And call for me if the fella doesn’t know how to behave.”

Edelgard left the encounter feeling both empowered and confused. It felt nice to tell a stranger that she was on a date, like she was speaking it into existence. It also took her until she was halfway across the room to realize he thought she was on a date with a “fella.” The conversation faded to the back of her mind as she attempted to wade her way through the room full of people. Fortunately, the backroom could not have been more different than the scene that had greeted her when she had entered the bar. It was blessedly quiet in comparison, with the main sound being conversation. There were about a dozen small tables laid out about the room with mismatched comfy-looking chairs. The lighting was dim, and though the tables were full, the room was not crowded

Edelgard edged closer to a couple that looked like they were getting ready to leave. She was rewarded for her hovering after a couple of minutes, and she snatched the table up before anyone else poking their heads into the room could take it. She texted Byleth to let her know where she was, asked the waiter to come back later, and waited.

Byleth showed up a few minutes later. Edelgard spotted her first, took in her blue eyes as they scanned the room, searching for her. Edelgard’s heartbeat sped up on the spot. Now that Byleth was here, the whole date felt so much more real. No matter how much she had worried, planned, and stewed about it before, there was no way of telling how it was going to go now. 

Byleth was wearing army green joggers that were baggy but hugged her body just right at the same time. She also had on a black and white striped shirt and a tan bomber jacket. A familiar overwhelming feeling came over Edelgard as her brain attempted to process the hotness levels in front of her. Byleth’s eyes met hers, and Edelgard had to take a deep breath to keep herself from being overcome.

What was the feeling as they stared at each other? Was it a spark, or was it just anxiety? No matter what Dorothea and Hilda had said, she was still nervous that this wasn’t actually a date. She could just ask, but the thought of doing so and having the answer be “no” was terrifying enough that Edelgard decided to opt for uncertainty. But the way Byleth’s eyes lit up as she recognized her and made her way to Edelgard’s corner table gave her enough hope that she felt her anxiety begin to be replaced with the buzz of anticipation. The latter was a slightly more welcome feeling than the former.

“Sorry I’m late.” Byleth was panting slightly. “Work ran over a bit, so I didn’t have much time to get ready.”

She sat down in the one empty chair and took a grateful sip of water. Had she run there? Edelgard was about to ask, but she noticed something that she felt more inclined to bring up.

“Are you… wet?”

Byleth scratched at the back of her head with an almost a sheepish smile. Now that she was so close, it was easy for Edelgard to tell that her hair was definitely wet. Some of the longer strands were dripping small puddles of dampness onto the shoulders of her jacket.

“I work at a boxing gym, so I had to shower before meeting you.” Byleth’s eyes turned dead serious. “Trust me. I was disgusting.”

Edelgard laughed. You were supposed to laugh on dates, right? It also was kind of funny. Byleth’s expression softened into a smile. Edelgard felt warm. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all. Maybe they would go on this date, and it would be nice, and they would go on more dates, and… Well that would be even nicer.

They chatted for a bit and ordered their drinks. Edelgard could not keep track of their small talk. She was still too nervous to really pay full attention to their conversation. That was probably for the best. No need to notice how much of a weirdo she was probably being. Their drinks arrived. Byleth had ordered bourbon on the rocks. Edelgard had panicked and ordered a vodka cran. She did not like vodka or cranberry juice. Their conversation came to a natural stop as they both sipped their drinks. She hoped the silence wasn’t weird.

Edelgard’s eyes drifted down to Byleth’s hand on her glass. The curve of her fingers was so graceful, but her wrists seemed strong as they led into the muscle of her forearms. But of course she was strong, hadn’t those same arms wrapped around her? The fingers pressing into the skin of her back, her hips. Hadn’t those hands held her up as she arched her back in pleasure?

“Are you okay?”

Byleth’s hand pounded into Edelgard’s back a few times as she finished choking on her drink. Fuck. She thought that she had suppressed the dream enough that it wouldn’t come up again.

“I’m fine, sorry.”

Byleth still looked concerned, but she halted her rough ministrations. She downed the rest of her bourbon in one go.

“You wanna get out of here? Take a walk around the park?”

Edelgard muscled her way through the rest of her drink and nodded. The bar was nice, but she was beginning to feel a big claustrophobic. Byleth paid for their drinks, and they made their way outside. The cold air felt lovely, and Edelgard let out a happy sigh at the sensation. She looked to Byleth, whose gaze darted away the second they made eye contact. She started walking and Edelgard followed. They were silent for some time.

Just as Edelgard was beginning to worry, Byleth said, “There it is. Have you been to this park before?”

Edelgard knew Mila Green, but she had not spent much time there. She told Byleth as much. The park was a bit eerie at night, all dark and lit up by streetlights, but there were enough people out and about that Edelgard didn’t feel unsafe. Knowing that Byleth could throw a punch also served to put her at ease. 

“Here. You look cold.”

Byleth was holding out a blue scarf that Edelgard hadn't even realized she was wearing. Had she been shivering? After a brief hesitation, she accepted the scarf and wrapped it around her neck. It smelled surprisingly citrusy with a hint of laundry detergent.

“So what are you studying in school?”

The question was sudden, but it was nice to give a simple answer that she had said a million times before. 

“I’m a business major, but I’m also minoring in fine art.”

Byleth visibly perked up at that. “What kind of art do you do?”

Right, the tattoos. Edelgard had forgotten that they were both artists.

“I use a lot of different mediums, but I mostly do portraits.”

“Ah, you really are amazing,” Byleth mused.

Who _ said _things like that? This girl was going to be the death of her. The next time Byleth said something about Edelgard being “beautiful” or “amazing” or anything else like that, she was going to lose it. Edelgard began to mourn the fact that she had only consumed one drink. Maybe if she was drunk the words would have had less of an effect. But now she could only hope that the darkness was serving to hide the glow of her cheeks.

“I’m no better than anyone else in my courses,” Edelgard responded, regaining her composure.

“Don’t be modest, your art is incredible. I can tell.”

Instead of questioning the odd statement, Edelgard decided to trust Byleth. She also loved the praise even if it was baseless. Maybe one day Byleth would actually see her art. Then she could give her a real compliment.

They walked around the park, alternating between silence and chatting. It was a bit awkward at times—neither of them was incredibly talkative—but Edelgard felt warm nonetheless. Maybe it was just because of the scarf. Before she knew it, they ended up standing outside of the train station. Ah, it was over just like that. Edelgard felt disappointed and relieved at the same time. She had been enjoying herself, but she was exhausted, which meant she was probably going to fuck up at any moment. 

She was about to open her mouth to say something, when Byleth said, “Well, see you around,” and went in for a one-armed hug. Edelgard reciprocated the gesture in shock, then watched as Byleth jogged away into the night without another word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh poor el. i think byleth is going to be the death of her. some ~drama~ on the horizon perhaps?
> 
> please let me know what you thought of the chapter! this was the hardest one for me to write so far for some reason, so i hope it came out okay! lemme know what you thought in the comments and on twitter where i'm @shadocoon! i really like to reply to ao3 comments, but i've been overwhelmed by real life lately, so i'll get to that soon!
> 
> gnight!
> 
> -sarah


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for being patient and sorry the chapter is late! life has been a little busy and disorganized lately
> 
> i hope you enjoy the chapter!! c:

Edelgard stared at the white ceiling of her room as she had been since she arrived home. She had returned from the “date” a few hours ago. Minutes ago? It was hard to be sure how much time had passed since she had collapsed onto her bed. She had almost texted Dorothea about a dozen times but had talked herself out of it over and over again. What was there to say? Dorothea would comfort her, that much was certain, but Edelgard didn’t want pity. Not now. Not yet. Talking to Dorothea would probably coax out the tears she was denying herself. She had to take control of her emotions before discussing it with anyone. No point in externally processing before internally processing. It would be an embarrassment to not have full control. 

So no, she did not need pity. What she needed was to know what was going on in Byleth’s head. Was there a misunderstanding? Was she shy? Was she really…  _ a fuckboy _ ? 

Edelgard rolled over with a groan. It was a refreshing change of pace to be face down and wrapped in the darkness of her pillow. Though she didn’t remember her pillow smelling so much like citrus and someone else’s laundry detergent. Or being so… fuzzy? Edelgard shot up as she was hit with a sudden realization. 

She still had Byleth’s scarf. 

It had been next to her the whole time, unnoticed in her depths of melancholy. Still kneeling on the bed, she picked it up and brought it up to her face. Edelgard glanced around to make sure no one had materialized in the empty room to watch her. The coast was clear. With a sigh, Edelgard buried her face into the scarf. She took in a sharp inhale and relished in the scent. It brought back memories of the date, which felt years away already. 

She flopped back onto her mattress, still cradling the scarf. She had another chance. First thing in the morning, she would go to Seirosbucks to return the scarf. Then she would find out exactly what was going on in Byleth’s head. It would be easier to ignore her—to block her number and never think about her again—but Edelgard, for whatever reason, had hope. She would at least attempt to sleep through the night.

* * *

Edelgard felt like shit. Had she slept too much or not enough? It was hard to say. Light was filtering in through her blinds, so at least she had managed to sleep through the night.

She groaned and rubbed her sore eyes. “Fuck.”

Her hands came away black with last night’s makeup. 

“Fuck,” she said again, louder this time. 

She stripped off her crumpled clothes and stumbled into the bathroom. Anywhere between ten and forty minutes later she finally began to feel like a person again. Her mouth tasted like mint instead of sleep and her face no longer felt like it was covered in fifty layers of crust. Edelgard shot Dorothea a quick vague text in response to the approximately 500 messages she had set since the night before. They could talk later. For now, Edelgard had a mission. And it was somehow past noon, which explained why she felt so crummy. 

Edelgard got dressed, grabbed the scarf, and shot out of her room. She had to force herself into a casual walk to keep from sprinting the few blocks to Seirosbucks. It was a lovely fall day, which was a good incentive to take her time and walk at a normal speed. She couldn’t show up harried or breathless. This was a situation where she had to have the upper hand from the start. Edelgard had been in enough negotiations to make her familiar with how to hold power in a conversation. And that’s what she needed with Byleth: power.

A gentle breeze brushed across Edelgard’s face. It had less of a bite than the wind from the night before and helped her to feel a bit more awake. Even with the fresh air, it was hard to fully shake her grogginess. Not only had she woken up later than usual, she had no clue what time she had finally passed out. 

“At least I didn’t have any dreams,” Edelgard muttered to herself, chewing on one of her nails. 

Seirosbucks was across the street. The Edelgard from two weeks ago never would have thought the chain café would evoke such a strong mixture of emotions within her. Apprehension, fear, a touch of hope. She closed her eyes and breathed in a deep breath. She held it for a few seconds, and when she opened her eyes the light had changed. 

“You've got this. No matter what she says, or does, or looks like, you’re ready.” Edelgard smiled and nodded to herself, feeling more ready than she had imagined. 

It was blessedly empty inside. There were a few people at the tables and one person at the cash. The barista helping the customer was a person with blonde hair. Not Byleth. A boisterous laugh drew Edelgard’s attention to the back of the store where they kept the reusable cups and coffee beans that were for sale. The owner of the laugh was handsome boy with red hair styled into an immaculate imitation of messiness. He was grinning a charmer’s smile and chatting animatedly to the person restocking the shelves. 

It was her. Byleth’s back was to Edelgard as she adjusted one of the cups on the shelf. She stepped back to observe her work, seemingly ignoring the man who was talking to her. Was he bothering her? Edelgard strode forward, powered by a protective urge that surprised her. She was able to catch the tail end of his sentence as she drew near.

“...because I really really like you,” he avowed.

Just then, Byleth turned to the man, reached up, and tousled his hair with an affectionate smile. She said something that was too quiet for Edelgard to hear over the sudden rushing sound in her ears. Okay, so maybe he wasn’t bothering her. But the way she looked at him, touched him so casually… it made Edelgard’s blood freeze in her veins. No, she was being foolish. But the way Byleth’s hand lingered and the smile remained on her face made Edelgard feel like she was intruding on them just by watching. And what he had just said… 

The man leaned down to speak directly into Byleth’s ear. She turned her head to listen, and that was when her eyes landed on Edelgard. If the couple’s obvious behavior hadn’t meant anything, the way Byleth’s eyes widened and the way her face visibly flushed were enough to confirm Edelgard’s suspicions. She had a boyfriend, and he was standing right there.

Byleth took a step forward and froze. “Edelgard? What are you doing here?” 

All of the confidence that she had felt before entering Seirosbucks had vanished. Now she just felt sick and empty. But there was no need to be nervous if this wasn’t real, if she was just being played.

“Your scarf,” she said, her voice icy.

She held up the scarf and closed the distance between herself and Byleth. The red-haired man was watching with a curious and casual look on his face. Fuck him. Byleth accepted the scarf. She was still beautiful, even with the cold running through Edelgard’s veins. Her expression was a mixture of confusion and that same puppy dog look that she had sported the first day they had met. Edelgard felt the ice around her heart begin to crack at the warmth that look made her feel. She had to stay strong though, she could not let herself be toyed with anymore. Byleth opened her mouth to say something as her boyfriend looked on. 

Edelgard gave her most winning smile, said, “Have a nice day, Byleth,” and walked away.

Only silence followed behind her.

* * *

“I’m so sorry, Edie,” Dorothea murmured as she rubbed Edelgard’s back.

Edelgard grunted in response. No matter how hard she tried to be strong, she had ended up crying. As a remedy, she’d shoved her face into Dorothea’s pillow the moment she had arrived and hadn’t removed it since. Luckily, Dorothea had been home alone when Edelgard showed up unannounced at her door. The taller girl had folded her into a warm hug without a word and held her there in the doorway. That was when she had finally started crying. Dorothea’s pity was just as dangerous as Edelgard had feared it would be, but she was surprised at how little she minded. Because it wasn’t really pity that Dorothea was feeling, it was genuine care and concern. That was how it felt to Edelgard at least. 

They had stood like that for a while before Dorothea finally stepped back and allowed Edelgard to plod into the room and collapse onto the bed.

“Edie, what happened?” she whispered.

After Edelgard’s hiccuped and muffled recounting into the pillow, Dorothea was silent for a moment. 

“Are you sure they’re not just friends?” she finally ventured, “I don’t want to doubt you, I just want to make sure you’re not hurting for no reason.

“He said, ‘I really really like you,’ and then she played with his hair,” Edelgard spat, feeling pain even at the memory.

She felt Dorothea flinch. “Okay, yeah that’s pretty incriminating…”

Edelgard finally turned her head so she was able to see her friend. If anyone could see her splotchy and messy and vulnerable, it was Dorothea. It was hard for Edelgard to fully make out Dorothea’s expression, but it looked like she was deep in thought. Edelgard turned her face back to the dampness of the pillow. 

“Do you think you should talk to her?” she asked, voice gentle. 

Edelgard shook her head into the pillow. She knew she was being irrational, that she and Byleth had been on one maybe-date. She only had her own expectations to blame. But still it hurt. It hurt far worse than she thought it could. The fact that this woman she barely knew could have such an effect on her was not only unfair but unlike her. 

But that made her want to retreat even more. Edelgard flopped over onto her back. Dorothea waited for her to speak. 

Edelgard muttered, “I hate how she makes me feel.”

“And how is that?” Dorothea prompted, ever-patient. 

“I don’t know.” She felt decidedly inarticulate. “Different. Weird. Too much.”

“You like her.”

“I don’t  _ know  _ her though.”

Dorothea started playing with the fabric of Edelgard’s shirt sleeve as she hummed in thought. “That doesn’t mean you don’t like her, Edie. I’ve never seen you act like this before.”

She was right, and Edelgard didn’t like it. But why, why did she like Byleth. Sure, it went without saying that she was attracted to her, but that didn’t explain her mess of feelings. What made her feel so drawn to Byleth? 

Again, pesky notions of fate picked at the back of her mind. Like they were meant to meet and meet again. Of course, it was just a coincidence, but what if it wasn’t? What if there was something greater pulling at her—pulling at them—that she shouldn’t ignore? The thought was foolish, but it kept prevailing over all of her doubt.

“Give Byleth another chance,” a voice told her, “Turn your phone back on and talk to her. Let her explain.”

Edelgard thought for a moment that Dorothea was speaking to her, but no, she was still lost in thought. This was someone different. It was the nagging sentimental voice that she had tried so hard to ignore. That voice was dangerous, distracting. She had to ignore it, had to push it down until she could hear it no longer. She had bigger things to focus on that romance. Her future, her family. She had allowed herself to hope, but that had been naive hope. Having a relationship with Byleth would be too distracting. 

She had to regain her focus. She had to get back to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kind of an emotional rollercoaster for edelgard there.... sorry el!
> 
> lmk what you think in the comments or on twitter @shadocoon! i love to chat and hear what y'all think, it really fuels me as a writer. i appreciate all the comments so much! the encouragement is why this story is still going, so thank you so much!!
> 
> -sarah
> 
> ps. keep your your eye out for a spicy oneshot that i've been working on ;)))))


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's chapter 8! thank you so much for all of the comments lately! i wanna reply to every single one when i get the chance :)
> 
> heads up that the chapter gets a lil nsfw at the end
> 
> enjoy!

Edelgard hit send on the email and lowered her head to her desk. It was crunch time for the merger, and her father had new edits for her every day. She had been incredibly productive for the past few days because of the last minute pressure, but waiting for a response from her father allowed her adrenaline to wear off and fatigue to catch up with her. Just two more days until the merger presentation. She wasn’t overly worried about the smaller company resisting—it would be pointless really—but she still had to make sure everything was perfect. Her father was ailing, and she had to prove to him that she was ready to take over Crimson Corp. when the time came.

Feeling reinvigorated, Edelgard sat back up and reread what she had just sent her father. It was as close to perfect as she could get without his feedback, which meant she should probably try to sleep. Or she could play some Warriors of Archanea. That sounded like a better idea. Edelgard closed her browser and opened up the MMO. She made sure to set her status to invisible so none of her friends could see she was playing. She wasn’t in the mood to socialize, she just wanted to kill some fake monsters and complete a couple of solo quests. It had been a few days since she had answered any texts and she had barely left her dorm during that time.

Once crunch time was over she would reach back out to her friends. They all knew it was a busy time for her with work. Dorothea was the only one who might suspect any other reason for her isolation, but Edelgard had done her best to persuade her friend that Byleth wasn’t the reason she was shutting herself away. Dorothea had dropped by a couple of days ago, and Edelgard had done her best to convince her that everything was okay. She had seemed skeptical on the way out, but it was the last Edelgard had heard from her on the matter.

“Sorry, Dorothea,” she muttered to herself as she selected the Flame Emperor and finished logging in.

It was nothing personal, really. Dorothea had been there for her at a vulnerable part of her processing the… situation at hand. Now Edelgard had to do the rest on her own. Dorothea—and Hubert—had probably texted her to check in, but she was scared to turn on her phone. She glanced over her shoulder to her bedside table where it had been lying untouched since she had returned to her dorm the other night. If she turned it on there might be texts from Byleth. Or maybe there weren’t any at all.

She wasn’t sure which possibility made her gut sink more.

The Flame Emperor did not have these petty worries. They were concerned with dragons, harpies, and ogres. They wouldn’t bat an eye at a confusing and infuriating girl. Right? Edelgard shook her head and tried to get herself into the game. 

* * *

The Flame Emperor came to in Aurelis where they had last logged off. They double checked their HUD to make sure that they were indeed hidden from the rest of their friends list. Once that was settled, they headed to the North Gate. It was time to kill some scum. The Flame Emperor had multiple quests to complete in the area. It was a zone that they had never tackled on their own before, but there was a first time for everything. They loved to work with their guild and their strike force above all, but sometimes a general had to strike off on their own. It would be nice to feel individually strong after so much time working on a team.

Within seconds of exiting Aurelis, the Flame Emperor was beset by a mob of harpies. The winged menaces were wielding bows and slingshots as they rocketed out of the sky in a flurry of wings and screeching voices. The Flame Emperor held up their axe and took on a defensive stance. The first harpy crashed into them with no fear. A heartbeat later, the bird creature lay on the floor in two twitching pieces. Pathetic. The other monsters took pause. They were weak, and the Flame Emperor had no need to fear the weak.

With an echoing battle cry, the Flame Emperor threw themself into the fray. They barely had to worry about defense with the way the harpies’ arrows and claws scraped ineffectually against her steel carapace. The Flame Emperor swung their axe with abandon, taking almost too much pleasure out of the way it cleaved through the monsters with ease. This was power. This was what it was to be in control.

Though the winged monsters were weak, they came in droves. 

“No wonder they’re in this area…”

The Flame Emperor had wondered at first why such low-level creatures were in a late-game area like the Aurelian Plains, but the growing numbers answered that question. The battle had been easy at first, but soon they were struggling to stand on the blood-stained field, as harpies continued to to divebomb and flock. 

“Shit,” The Flame Emperor swore as their health began to dip.

Maybe they shouldn’t have come to this area alone. It was too late to worry about that now. None of the guild knew where they were and it would take far too long for anyone to get there if they sent out a cry for aid. They would have to finish what they started. The harpies were gaining power as their confidence grew, but they were not long for this world. With one final push, the Flame Emperor launched into one of their most powerful and draining moves. The hits of Raging Storm through back the enemies. They landed unmoving, strewn away from the blast of energy that the Flame Emperor had just unleashed. They waited a moment—all mana drained—making sure there was no more movement on the battlefield.

* * *

Edelgard sighed and leaned back from her monitor.

“Well that could have gone better,” she said to herself in disbelief.

It had been a long time since she’d had a close call like that in WoA. That was what she got for being careless. Edelgard let out a long yawn. She rubbed at the tears that sprung to her eyes. How long had she been awake? The last thing she wanted to do was lie down and close her eyes. Sleep was even more dangerous than being idle, but it was beginning to feel like she had no choice. Another yawn snuck up on her. She stood up and stretched.

“Alright, alright. You’ve made your point,” she sighed.

Not in the mood to find her pajamas, she stripped and got into bed. With the lights off and her eyes no longer occupied, she was beset almost immediately by the chaos of her thoughts.

Byleth.

Thinking about her made Edelgard feel a combination of numbness and insatiable curiosity. Now that she was past the immediate shock and anger of what had happened, she just wanted answers. But it was too late, wasn’t it? Either Byleth had texted her or she hadn’t. Regardless, Edelgard had walked out almost a week ago and they hadn’t been in contact since. She couldn’t just give Byleth a call and say, “Hey, what the fuck?” and expect her to explain herself. Besides, she had to go to her father’s office tomorrow for the merger proposal. She had to get even just a few hours of rest to make sure she conducted herself appropriately in front of everyone at Crimson Corp. She had to will her mind to be quiet and put her worries to the side.

* * *

Soft hands. Lingering touches. Byleth’s body was a comfortable weight on top of her. She allowed herself to sink back into the mattress as Byleth’s curious hands explored her bare skin, stopping here and there to stroke, and press, and draw out moans of pleasure. One of those hands was making its way lower and lower still. Edelgard arched her back into the touch as it brushed down her abdomen and to the top of her underwear. Byleth’s hand rested there. Taunting, teasing, so close. 

“Please,” she whined.

Edelgard half woke from her dream, disoriented and painfully turned on. Byleth’s hand was no longer there, but the yawning need had not left her. She could get up and take a shower like last time. That had served well to redirect her attention. She could play WoA, read a book, look over the merger one more time. Even as multiple possibilities flashed by, Edelgard’s clumsy hand found its way to where it was needed. She could feel how wet she was from the dream through the thin fabric of her underwear. 

“Guess I have to take care of this myself.”

Edelgard moaned into the empty room as her fingers brushed against her own center. She started with slow circles, still above her underwear. She shuddered into the touch. Just imagining Byleth touching her was enough for her to be close to the edge. What would it be like if she were actually there with her strong hands and the muscles of her arms? Her breasts pressed up against Edelgard’s own? Edelgard sped up, the circles becoming sloppy, her fingers beginning to push aside her underwear as she lost control of her movements.

She bucked into her own touch as she made direct contact. Her other hand began to massage her breast, her fingers finding the nipple and pulling on it as she cried out.

“Fuck,” she panted, “Byleth…” 

Her fingers—first one, then two—slid easily inside, helped by the slickness of her entrance. How would it feel if Byleth was the one filling her? If her fingers were the ones that curled into her just so. Would her voice be soft as they made love or would it be hard as she fucked Edelgard into the mattress? She moved her fingers faster and faster as she imagined all of the different ways that Byleth could be there with her. Everything she could say and do.

Finding the penetration wasn’t enough, she used the thumb of the same hand to continue to circle her clit. Edelgard bit down hard on her lower lip to keep from crying out again. It would not do to bother her neighbors. She had an image to uphold after all, and this… well this was not a part of that image. 

Would Byleth tell her she was beautiful as she came? Edelgard pressed down with her thumb and felt herself unravel. A moan managed to escape her during the final frantic moments of her climax. She panted and wiped her fingers clean on the sheets of the bed.

Edelgard came back to herself in a mixture of shame, frustration, and relief. Why couldn’t she stop these renegade thoughts? More importantly, why was she the one doing all of the hard work when it was Byleth’s fault she was feeling this way? No matter how angry and confused she was, she wanted to see her again. She wanted to feel Byleth’s hands where her own had just been. 

Was it all a misunderstanding? She suspected Dorothea thought as much, and her own mind was leaning that way too, but it was just blind hope outweighing her logic. There was no reason to trust Byleth, but she wanted to so badly that it was painful.

What hurt the most was that, no matter how much she wished for Byleth’s touch, what she wanted most was to be wrapped up in her arms. Her bed had never felt so empty and large.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally some relief for el lol (this one's for you frosty), i hope you all like it!
> 
> also making a lil announcement on my twitter tonight after posting this
> 
> AND the smutty one shot i promised is coming! i overestimated my productivity as always :D
> 
> lemme know what you think in the comments or hit me up on twitter @shadocoon!! i hope everyone had a lovely weekend <3
> 
> -sarah


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter nine is finally here! I had a blast writing this one, so i hope y'all have a blast reading it! 
> 
> tbh i've been waiting to write this chapter since i started the fic hehe :) enjoy!

Edelgard stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. She was still coming down from the high of the merger proposal. It had gone just as well as expected. The smaller company, Fhirdiad Pharma, had asked only a few questions she hadn’t anticipated. And even then, she had managed to answer. Her father was not the type of man who wore his emotions openly, but Edelgard was able to read through his stoicism. He had been pleased. Now they just needed to wait for the final answer from Fhirdiad. It was all ceremony at this point, there was no question of what the answer would be. Without the merger they would be crushed. Crimson Corp. was doing them a favor. That was what her father and uncle said at least. 

Edelgard straightened out her blouse and pushed a few stray wisps of her brown hair behind her ears. In order to look older, she was wearing it up in a tight bun. An air of maturity was all too important for her as a young woman in business. She was wearing her circle rim glasses, something she hardly did outside of the safety of her own room. It was for a professional look. That was what she told herself at least. Her eyes were truly too swollen from a lack of sleep and it had been hell to try to put in her contacts. 

The door opened, startling Edelgard out of her thoughts. She gave a polite smile to the person who entered the restroom. Time to go home. Edelgard took her phone out of her pocket as she made her way out of the office building. The blank screen stared back at her. Right, it had been off for over a week now. Edelgard made no move to turn on the phone. Just what had she missed? She slid it back into her pocket and didn’t take it out again. She would go home, make herself some tea, and then confront whatever was—or wasn’t—waiting for her in her texts. 

It was a surprisingly warm and breezy day for early November. There was a subway station on the corner next to Crimson Corp.’s offices, but Edelgard opted to walk. Campus was too far away for her to walk all the way there, but she could at least get some fresh air before taking the train for the rest of her commute. 

It wasn’t often that Edelgard walked around this area of Enbarr. It was too busy and loud for her taste. She loved the city but not the midtown area where the office was. Luckily, the crowds started to thin out and the buildings began to shrink the further uptown she went. 

Edelgard had been walking for fifteen minutes when the wind suddenly kicked up into a frenzy. She stumbled, caught off guard by the sudden gale. Then it began to rain. The word rain was an understatement though, it was more of a torrential downpour. The sky opened up in a fury of howling wind and sheets of cold water. Edelgard was drenched in seconds. She clutched her bag to her chest and ran towards the train. It was still blocks away, but she had no other option. Other people who had been out when the storm began were doing the same or attempting to hide under awnings to let the storm pass by. With the wind whipping the rain every which way, Edelgard doubted anyone was finding much cover. 

“Goddammit, goddammit, goddammit,” she muttered as a mantra. 

It was hard to see where she was going, especially with the water that now speckled the lenses of her glasses. She could feel the rain had already soaked through her coat, blouse, skirt, and socks in the few minutes since it started. She bounced impatiently on the balls of her feet as she waited for the light to change. A quick glance at the street sign told her that she was still over three blocks away from the subway station. The air was clogged with the honking of the cars that filled the streets.

Then, everything happened all at once. When thinking about the moment later, Edelgard would be able to play it all back in slow motion. The rogue umbrella careening towards her, the cry of warning from its owner, the brief moment when she realized what was happening but knew it was too late to move, then… nothing. Nothing hit her, and, for a moment, she was no longer buffeted by the rain. 

In the moment, there was only rain, chaos, and then warmth. The person holding her grunted as the umbrella made hard impact with their back. Edelgard knew before hearing her voice—before seeing her flushed face—that it was Byleth who had jumped in and held her in that split second before the umbrella could hit her. Maybe it was because she had felt that embrace before, ever so briefly. Maybe it was because of that constant feeling of them being drawn ever closer every time they met. Flirting the line between coincidence and fate. 

“Are you okay?” Byleth panted as she pulled away. 

Her hands stayed on Edelgard’s arms, holding her tight. She was flushed, her hair plastered to her face. There was a trail of mucus running from her left nostril down to her top lip. Edelgard wanted to kiss her. 

Instead she said, “What are you doing here?”

There were people watching them, slowed by the dramatic encounter despite their need to escape the rain. Edelgard barely noticed the sheets of water that still slammed around them as she waited for Byleth to answer. 

“I, uh, I live down the block. I was watching the storm out my window and I thought I saw you, so I ran out because I wanted to talk and then I saw the umbrella. I wasn’t thinking, I’m sorry that I grabbed you. Are you hurt?”

Edelgard was taken aback by the jumble of words that spilled out of Byleth who was normally so composed. It was then that she realized Byleth was wearing only a tank top, sweatpants, and a pair of green Crocs. There would be time to process everything else she had just said later. 

“Oh God, what are you wearing? You must be freezing.”

Byleth shook her head, but Edelgard could see that she was shivering.

“You live nearby right? You should go home, Byleth.”

She shook her head again. “I’ve been looking for you all week. Come with me. At least until the rain stops.”

Edelgard was not sure why she said yes. Everything about the situation was silly and unreal and Byleth’s eyes were so beautiful and before Edelgard knew it she was following her home. 

* * *

Byleth’s apartment was small and slightly cluttered. The main living area was larger than Edelgard’s dorm, but one of the back corners was taken up by a kitchen. There was a closet next to the door they had come through and another door on the far end of the room. It most likely led to Byleth’s bedroom. The thought of what was on the other side of that door shocked Edelgard out of her stupor. 

“Uh,” she said, “I should go.”

Byleth turned to her with a mild frown. “It's still pouring, you’ll catch a cold out there. At least let me make you some tea, and apologize.”

Now that piqued Edelgard’s interest. 

Not sure what else to say, she stated, “You’re wearing Crocs.”

“They’re my house Crocs.”

Edelgard couldn’t tell if Byleth was joking, but she laughed anyway. Byleth smiled, and some of the tension melted out of the room. 

“Wait right there.”

Byleth slipped off her “house Crocs,” and, still smiling and soaking wet, she picked her way across the living room and disappeared into the bedroom. Edelgard waited, tried not to think, and ended up thinking far too much. What was she doing here? Despite all of her internal ramblings about “fate,” she barely knew this person and now she was soaking wet and vulnerable in her house.

“Mrow?” 

Edelgard jumped at the loud noise. She looked down to find a white long-haired cat staring up at her with big green eyes. 

“Oh, hello.”

Edelgard bent down with a smile. She did her best to dry off her hand on her very wet clothes before giving the cat a tentative scratch behind the ears. The instant purring told her the dampness wasn’t a problem. 

“Sorry. I forgot to ask if you’re allergic to cats.”

Byleth emerged, wearing new, dry sweatpants and carrying a bundle of clothes and towels in front of her. Edelgard looked up, feeling much more comfortable as she continued to pet the cat. 

“I have one back at my father’s house. His name is Cinderfeather.”

Byleth squatted down next to her. “Like from those Warrior Cats books?”

Edelgard looked to Byleth who had reached out to give the cat her own scratches. “You know those books?”

“It was practically all I read in middle school.” She stood back up. “Here.”

Edelgard stood too, and the cat let out a dissatisfied huff. 

“Calm now, Sothis, you’ll get more attention later.” She turned back to Edelgard. “You can change in my room if you’d like.”

Byleth had handed her a t-shirt, pants, and a bath towel. She kept a hand towel for herself and started scrubbing at her hair, which had been dripping onto the floor. Now that Byleth was no longer holding the bundle of fabric, Edelgard saw that—in addition to her pair of dry sweatpants—she was wearing a sports bra and nothing else. 

“Bathroom,” she choked, “I’ll change in your bathroom.”

Byleth gave her a long look and shrugged before pointing her to another door in the entrance hallway. Edelgard slipped in without another word. 

“What the fuck?” she hissed at her reflection. 

She was talking about the entire situation that she had ended up in, but mostly Byleth’s state of dress. She had abs,  _ of course _ she had abs. And they were perfect. And now she had to acknowledge something she had been actively trying to avoid up until that point. Byleth’s boobs were incredible. Edelgard gripped both sides of the sink and let her head hang down. This situation was too good to be true in so many ways. It was also terrifying. Was her life a fanfiction all of a sudden?

As much as the panicked part of her brain wanted her to run away and never look back, Byleth had said she wanted to apologize. Also she was so cold and so wet. The storm was still raging outside, she could hear it even in the windowless bathroom. No longer cornered by Byleth’s abs, Edelgard found it possible to clear her mind. Trying to not think too much about where she was, she began to wrestle her way out of her wet business attire. Her white blouse was translucent after being inundated with so much water. Edelgard sent a silent prayer that Byleth had not noticed. The pencil skirt clung to her body with an iron grip, but after a few minutes of shimmying and struggling, she was standing in her damp undergarments. She dried off as best she could and attempted to squeeze the water out of her hair. 

The pants and t-shirt that Byleth had handed her were a bit too big, but they were soft, warm, and smelled like clean laundry. The pants were worn flannel and luckily had a drawstring that Edelgard was able to cinch to hold them up. The design on the shirt was faded and hard to make out, but it looked a bit like some kind of fish. Edelgard absolutely did not think about how she was maybe wearing some of Byleth’s pajamas. Did she sleep in these? Or did she sleep…  _ naked _ ? Banishing the thought, Edelgard opened the door and exited the bathroom, holding the dripping pile that was once her outfit.

“You can hang your clothes on the shower rod,” Byleth called from the living room. 

Edelgard hurried to do so before finally setting foot into the main area of the apartment. Byleth was standing at the stove, her back to Edelgard. The cat, Sothis, was curled up on one of the couch cushions. 

Byleth glanced over her shoulder. “Take a seat.”

Edelgard walked over to the couch and sat down. Her entire body was screaming with nerves, but she did her best to project an air of calm. Byleth said nothing else as she continued her work in the kitchen. Her hair was pulled up in a damp ponytail, giving Edelgard a full view of her back. Edelgard spent a couple of minutes watching the way her shoulder muscles shifted and flexed with every movement. The way her back tapered to her waist and curved back out to her hips. 

Edelgard turned her attention to the rest of the room. The couch she was sitting on was comfortable and light gray. There was a low coffee table with some used dishes on it in front of the couch and a TV against the wall. Edelgard spotted an old Gamecube but didn’t see any other video game systems. She got up and approached the one large window in the room. It was closed tight against the storm, but she could still hear the battering of the rain and the howling of the wind. It looked like she was stuck here for a while yet if she didn’t want to end up looking even more like a drowned rat than she already did. 

Byleth’s apartment was on the third floor of a walk up building. Edelgard could see the sidewalk easily enough from the window, but she could not imagine what Byleth had been thinking earlier. What could motivate someone to run out in weather like that in their lounge clothes and house Crocs just because they were  _ pretty sure  _ they saw the girl who had ghosted them?

“Better be a good apology,” Edelgard muttered to herself. 

“ _ Prrrrp _ !” Sothis agreed. 

The white cat had somehow appeared right next to her again. It looked up at her with unblinking green eyes. 

“Ah, good. The clothes fit.”

Edelgard looked up to see that Byleth was sitting in Sothis’s old spot on the couch. 

When she didn’t respond, Byleth elaborated. “Water’s boiling.”

Edelgard hesitated but eventually moved to join Byleth. She sat all the way on the other end of the couch, but it was not very large so they weren’t too far apart. She was still just wearing the sports bra of course. Edelgard tried looking into her eyes instead, but they were so blue, so… evaluating, that she found it hard to not glance back down.

“You wanted to apologize,” she said, holding eye contact.

Byleth nodded and looked down. Sothis jumped up onto the couch with a chirp and made herself at home in Byleth’s lap. 

Byleth played around with Sothis’s ears before responding. “I feel that I’ve been… unclear.”

After a few too many seconds ticked by in silence, Edelgard prompted, “Unclear?”

As if shaken out of a stupor, Byleth continued talking. “I’ve been unclear about what I think, and what I’m doing, and how I feel,” she paused, “about you.”

Edelgard held her breath as she waited for Byleth to continue speaking. So many seconds ticked by in silence that Edelgard began to grow afraid that Byleth would say no more. Even now—when she was attempting to apologize and to tell her  _ something _ —her voice was lovely and deep. Unfortunately, she was not the most effusive person Edelgard had met. In fact, Hubert might be one of the only people to rival her on that account. Just then, they were interrupted by the whistling of the kettle. 

“Let me get that.” Byleth plopped Sothis next to her and walked over to the kitchen.

Edelgard did her best not to fidget as she waited. “How I feel about you.” What a sentence to leave someone hanging on. It had to be something positive if Byleth was doing all of this, right? But she was so odd, so hard to read, that Edelgard couldn’t be entirely sure of anything. Byleth came back with two steaming mugs. Sothis meowed at her as she handed one of them to Edelgard.

“Yes, yes, I’ll get you a treat soon. I’m busy you know?” Byleth responded.

Sothis huffed again in response.

Edelgard watched the one-sided exchange in silence. The smell of Earl Grey tea wafted up to her from the mug. She took a tentative sip, and the warmth spread through her body in an instant, helping her forget that she had been soaked to the bone mere moments ago. She relaxed into the couch a bit as the wet chill began to leave her body.

“The other day at Seirosbucks,” Byleth began again, “That was my friend, Sylvain. We’ve known each other since college. Even if I  _ was _ interested in someone other than you, it really wouldn’t be him.”

Edelgard’s brain tried to catch up to what Byleth was saying. Interested in her. Well, that was good.

“But he said he liked you. I heard.”

Byleth blanched. She mumbled something indecipherable and looked down. Was she embarrassed? Now that was something Edelgard had never expected to see.

“What was that?”

“I didn’t know what to text you, so I asked him for advice. He was telling me to tell  _ you  _ that I really really like you.” Byleth was the one fidgeting now, and there was a light dusting of pink on her face.

“So he really is just your friend…” 

With an expression like that, Edelgard was inclined to believe her.

Byleth gave an emphatic nod. “Sylvain is my friend, but I would never want to date him. He was just helping me out.”

“That went well.” Edelgard said before she could stop herself.

Byleth laughed and looked at her with soft eyes, her face still lightly flushed. “Yes. It really did.”

Edelgard’s traitor heart skipped a beat. Why was she still so into this girl?

“Even if it was a misunderstanding, I’m still mad at you,” Edelgard admitted, “Why did you let me walk out? Why didn’t you say anything?”

Byleth was silent for a long while. Her gaze was locked onto her hands as she picked repeatedly at one of her cuticles.

“I was surprised,” she said, “and scared. I wanted to see you again, and I was so convinced that I messed up that I didn’t really know what to do.”

Bylet put her tea on the coffee table and moved so their thighs were touching. She grabbed Edelgard’s free hand in both of hers.

Her voice like rough velvet: “Give me one more chance?”

Edelgard looked down at their hands and at the spot where their legs touched. She looked back up to Byleth’s face. The way her eyes were wide with anticipation. The one droplet of water that was making its way down the side of her face to the corner of her jaw. She wanted to smooth back the loose strands of hair that hadn’t made it into her hasty attempt at a ponytail. She wanted to kiss away that droplet of water.

“Alright. One more chance,” Edelgard said as she leaned in, pulled ever closer by the gravity between them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;D
> 
> well that escalated!
> 
> i hope you liked! please tell me what you think in the comments or on twitter @shadocoon! it means so much to me to hear from y'all and this fic would not exist without all of the support and feedback i've gotten for real thank u <3
> 
> -sarah


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a short but sweet one this time around! thanks for all the patience, folks <3

Byleth’s lips were softer than Edelgard could have imagined, and she certainly  _ had  _ imagined them. Many times. No dream could measure up to the reality of finally kissing her. She had leaned in without thought. When their lips first touched, Byleth had taken in a surprised breath, but her stiffness only lasted for a heartbeat. With a smooth motion, she took the mug out of Edelgard’s hand and placed it on the coffee table all without moving away.

Instead of overthinking, Edelgard surrendered to the kiss and allowed herself to melt into the sensation, into the feeling of Byleth’s mouth. She tasted like rain and warmth. She tasted like curiosity and relief. Edelgard sighed into the kiss. Byleth smiled against her. When Edelgard’s hand brushed against Byleth’s knee she left it there, relishing the warmth of skin that she could feel even through her pants. Was it weird to think that Byleth’s face smelled amazing? Because it really did. The sweet scent of her mouth mingled with the citrus scent of whatever shampoo she used.

Byleth’s arm slipped around Edelgard’s waist. She leaned back into the touch until they were both relaxing into the couch. Byleth’s hand traced indiscernible shapes on Edelgard’s back. She tried to make out whatever it was that she was writing or drawing but was soon distracted by Byleth who began to suck on her lower lip. The graze of Byleth’s teeth set off something deep within, and Edelgard felt her body fill with a sudden heat. 

They continued like that for a while, exploring each other’s mouths. Edelgard’ mind was blessedly empty as she attempted to keep up with Byleth and memorize the feel and curve of her lips. The movements of their mouths soon grew soft and slow, so Edelgard prepared herself to pull away and see what the aftermath would be like. But no, wait. She didn’t want this to be over. Not yet. Instead of pulling away she slid her hand up to Byleth’s thigh and traced small circles with her thumb. It seemed that she had reawakened something in Byleth with that simple act, because the energy returned to her frame. Byleth responded by angling her body even closer and placing her larger hand on top of Edelgard’s. Her palm was rough and calloused, and the touch sent a shiver up Edelgard’s spine. 

Their tongues were clumsy at first as the passion reignited, but they soon found a mutual rhythm. Edelgard relaxed back into the feeling of Byleth’s arms, which were now both wrapped around her. Every nerve in her body was set alight by every spot where their bodies touched. It was then that Edelgard became all too aware of a fact that she had somehow forgotten: Byleth was still not wearing a shirt. However, unlike before, the realization now filled her with excitement. Without thought, Edelgard trailed her hand up from Byleth’s leg to rest on her stomach. Byleth’s hand slipped under Edelgard’s oversized t-shirt and made its way up her back. Heat followed her touch, leaving Edelgard breathless and wanting more. As if sensing what she wanted, Byleth began to play with the band of Edelgard’s bra. Her fingers brushed against sensitive skin.

There was a throaty moan. It took Edelgard a moment to realize that it had come from her own throat. She jerked away from Byleth, face burning. Curious blue eyes watched her, but Byleth also sat back and did not make a move to reinitiate. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it and looked down. Was that pain in her eyes?

Edelgard was about to ask her what she had done when Byleth said, “You’re right, we shouldn’t. I’m sorry, Edelgard.”

Wait, what? Had she really misread the situation so drastically? She thought Byleth had also been enjoying… what they had just been doing.

“Why not?” Edelgard tried to keep the panic out of her voice. 

Byleth turned away, her eyes locked on the blank screen of the TV. She started picking at a loose thread on her pants. 

“Aren’t you dating your friend? The one I tattooed?”

Her voice was so vulnerable that Edelgard almost felt bad when she snorted out a disbelieving laugh. “Dorothea?”

Byleth nodded, brow furrowed just a touch, her eyes still looking into a point in the distance. Edelgard took a deep breath to keep from laughing again. It was getting easier to read Byleth’s expressions, no matter how subtle they were. Maybe she was becoming more open with Edelgard, or maybe it was because they’d spent more time together. Regardless, Edelgard could tell that she had hurt Byleth a bit when she, well, when she laughed at her. There were many things Byleth was good at, but being vulnerable was not at the top of the list. Edelgard hesitated for a moment before placing her hand on Byleth’s thigh. Byleth turned her head.

“I’m not dating Dorothea,” she said, “I’m not dating anyone, Byleth.”

“She kissed you.”

It took Edelgard a few seconds to realize what she was talking about. She shook her head and gave Byleth’s thigh what she hoped was a comforting squeeze.

“She kissed me on the cheek. I can’t say I know why, but it surely wasn’t romantic. She was probably just messing with me because she knew I—” Edelgard coughed to cut herself off before she could say too much.

“You…?” There was a question in Byleth’s eyes, but she didn’t say anything more. 

She just waited, staring at Edelgard’s face. With those eyes on her, Edelgard began to grow self conscious. She took her hand off of Byleth’s leg and returned it to her lap. This time she was the one to look away.

“Anyway,” she started, “You waited until  _ now _ to ask that?”

Byleth shrugged. “I didn’t want to kill the mood.”

Edelgard chuckled. Byleth was proving to be a bit stranger than she had bargained for. She liked it. It was nice to get to know parts of her personality other than “hot.” Byleth smiled at her, her eyes soft. It was an expression that Edelgard wanted to grow used to.

Now that all of that was worked out, Edelgard was worried that Byleth would want to make out more. It wasn’t that she didn’t  _ want  _ to, it was just… she needed a break. She needed some time to think and clear her mind. Needed to let Dorothea know she was alive and doing okay. Byleth leaned forward to the coffee table and grabbed both of their discarded mugs. She handed Edelgard hers and took a sip from her own. Edelgard did the same. The tea had grown cold, but it was still a refreshing flavor.

“I’m assuming there’s a different reason you pulled away then,” Byleth mused.

Her voice was not unkind. Edelgard took another sip of her tea, not sure what to say. Sothis jumped up onto the couch and stepped into Edelgard lap. After a few pets she settled down and began purring. 

“I don’t want to have sex with you, Byleth. Not tonight.”

Edelgard surprised herself with the words. She did want to sleep with Byleth. Badly. But her heart was telling her she would regret it if it happened right then. Hell, tomorrow would be fine even. She just needed some time to make sure she truly wouldn’t have any regrets. She braced herself, ready for Byleth to be upset or disappointed. Or to tell her that she had somehow had entirely the wrong idea, and it hadn’t been heading that way.

“Okay.”

Edelgard looked up into those placid blue eyes. There was no judgement there, no hurt, just calm acceptance. 

“Wanna watch TV?” Byleth continued, “It’s still storming out there.”

Indeed it was. Somehow the weather was just as bad as when they had come in. Edelgard wondered why her phone hadn’t given her a blaring flash flood warning before she remembered that she had not yet turned it on. 

She nodded. “TV sounds nice.”

* * *

The cab windows were rolled down, filling the car with the scent of the early evening air. Edelgard took in a sharp breath through her nose and smiled. The city smelled like the haze of atmosphere that clung to the pavement after a storm. Byleth had offered to let her borrow the clothes, but Edelgard had declined and opted to change back into her still wet work clothes instead. It was less comfortable, but also less awkward.

The rest of the afternoon had been… nice. Byleth had made them fresh tea and they had watched a bunch of House Hunters reruns while drinking it. By that point, Edelgard had managed to calm down and it felt almost like hanging out with a friend. On that note, she finally turned on her phone. She ignored the multitude of notifications that rolled in and instead made a call.

“Edie? Are you alright?” Dorothea picked up after one ring.

Edelgard smiled. It was a huge weight off of her chest to hear Dorothea’s voice. She wasn’t usually so affected when she shut herself away from her friends for work, but this time there had been a bit more to it.

“I’m fine, Dorothea. I’m sorry if I worried you.”

There was silence for a moment and then the sound of Dorothea sighing. “Your work thing was today, right? How did it go?”

Edelgard hummed. “Oh, it went fine. Though you might be more interested in what happened after.”

She wanted to keep the events of that afternoon to herself until she was more sure of what was going on between her and Byleth, but if anyone deserved an update, it was Dorothea. It was the least she could do for all of the help and patience thus far.

Edelgard smiled to herself. “You'll never guess who I ran into again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ohoho some positive developments for our dear edelgard? writing this chapter was very slow, but it felt good to write more of these two together!
> 
> i hope y'all enjoyed it c: lmk what you think in the comments or on twitter @shadocoon!! i love responding to ao3 comments but i am also slow at it and it gives me mild anxiety so i'll reply to recent ones soon hehe
> 
> -sarah


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow i posted this without notes!! chapter 11 is here after my break for the holidays! see the bottom for special illustrations by the amazing @doritosandsauce (on twitter) she's truly brought Hot Barista Byleth to life :')

“She’s surprisingly cute over text,” Dorothea mused as she studied Edelgard’s phone.

“Yeah, I told her I was having trouble reading her tone, so she started using a bunch of emojis.”

Edelgard accepted her phone back and took a sip of her wine. It was a Friday night, and Dorothea had convinced her to go out to a bar. Ninian’s was right near campus, had a cheap happy hour, and boasted a karaoke stage. Needless to say, it was a popular spot for GMU students. Most of the people there were in their early twenties and knew someone who attended GMU if they weren’t a student there themselves. Enbarr offered enough other bars that older patrons could drink somewhere without being accosted by the singing of drunk college students . Edelgard found the place overwhelming, but she liked it every once in a while when she was with her friends. It was a familiar and reliable spot that was near her dorm after all. And the drinks really were cheap.

Tonight, Edelgard was joining in on a band hang out. Well, the band minus Hilda who was upstate spending the weekend with Marianne riding horses or something of the sort. Caspar and Ashe were waiting for their turn at karaoke and had somehow managed to drag Linhardt with them. Dorothea and Edelgard were alone at the booth for the time being, which meant in then that Dorothea was taking the opportunity to interrogate her about Byleth.

“So have you two planned another date?” Dorothea dipped a french fry into ketchup with a delicate hand. 

“She wants me to go to the boxing gym she works at on Sunday night.”

Dorothea finished chewing. “What kind of date is that?”

“Well we never  _ said  _ that we’re actually dating. We’re just hanging out.”

Edelgard could only hope she didn’t sound as defensive as she felt. More realistically, she just hoped Dorothea wouldn’t say anything about the general air of panic that surrounded her.

“Right, Edie, of course, of course. Are you excited to ‘hang out’ with her again then? Maybe it’ll be as nice as the last time.” Dorothea flashed her a wicked grin, and Edelgard felt heat rise to her face.

Their friends returning to the table saved her from needing to respond.

“Yo! Did you hear us?” Caspar crowed, “Ashe and I sounded so damn good.”

He flopped into the booth next to Edelgard and pilfered a handful of Dorothea’s fries. He was beaming and sweaty.

“Loud is not the same as good, Caspar,” Linhardt sighed as he also sat down to join them.

He looked tired, as he always did, but Edelgard knew him well enough to tell that he was having a decent time.

“Where’d Ashe run off to?” Dorothea asked.

She glanced at Edelgard with a look that said, “Don’t think we’re done talking about this hang out of yours.” Edelgard gave her a fraction of a nod, knowing there was no use in resisting Dorothea. She was good at getting what she wanted, especially with Edelgard. Besides, it was nice to have a third party to keep her in check when anything even vaguely romantic sent into a spiral of anxiety and indecision.

Caspar snickered and pointed. “I signed him up for two songs without telling him.”

Edelgard followed the path of Caspar’s finger to find Ashe alone on the karaoke stage singing his heart out to “I Will Survive” with impressive enthusiasm.

“I should’ve signed Lin up instead,” Caspar sighed, eating more fries, “That guy is having too much fun with it.”

“If you had I would’ve gone home,” Linhardt responded, matter-of-fact as ever.

Caspar shrugged and reached for the fries again. His hand met thin air as Dorothea pulled them away from him at the last second. He scowled at her and then shifted the expression to Edelgard as she took a few fries without meeting any resistance. 

She stuck her tongue out at him before turning to Linhardt and Dorothea. “Ashe isn’t bad, huh?”

“I’d hope so,” Dorothea replied, “He is my backing vocalist after all.”

The group continued to chat for a while. Ashe came back to them, shiny-eyed and breathless as they ordered another round of drinks. Edelgard did her best to keep her mind on the moment, on hanging out with her friends, but her train of thought drifted out of her reach. What was it going to be like the next time she saw Byleth? Things were different now. They had kissed. She had  _ said  _ the word sex. Their relationship was heading down a path that she knew next to nothing about, and she was as scared as she was excited. What if, even after everything that had just happened, Byleth had a different idea about their relationship than Edelgard did? She knew almost nothing about dating, while Byleth seemed experienced and nonchalant.

To her, the next step would be dating, but Byleth had never said the word, and she didn’t want to assume any sort of commitment. Friends with benefits perhaps? Though, Edelgard had made it clear that there weren’t any “benefits” for the time being. Maybe she just saw them as friends. Friends who made out on the couch and chased each other out into the pouring rain to make dramatic apologies. None of those options felt right, so what  _ were  _ they? She knew she was interested in Byleth. Romantically, physically, everything in between. More importantly however, how did Byleth see her?

Dorothea’s hand on her back stopped her from falling deeper into her thoughts. She gave her friend a grateful smile and did her best to refocus on the story that Ashe and Caspar were telling in tandem about the cat café they had just gone to. It took a little while for her to begin to feel normal again, but Dorothea’s presence next to her was calming, and the wine was helping her brain become more fuzzy than anxious. Eventually, she was able to settle back into the routine of hanging out with friends and not focusing every single brain cell on worry. It was exhausting to be so indecisive. Edelgard was not used to the feeling, and she decided she didn’t like it much.

At some point the night ended, and Edelgard found herself walking back to campus with Linhardt and Caspar who lived in Renais Hall, which was right next door to Cichol. They bid her goodnight at the front door of her dorm before they carried on by themselves. Edelgard was taken over by the memory of the one time that Byleth had dropped her off in the same spot. It felt like an eternity had passed since then even though it had happened less than a month ago. 

Byleth had said then that it was convenient for her because she lived near the right train line. Edelgard realized with a start that she had been lying. Now that she had been to Byleth’s apartment, she knew which train lines she lived off of. The station closer to Seirosbucks would have been more convenient for her than the one near Cichol. Byleth had gone completely out of her way to walk Edelgard home that night. The realization filled her with a sudden warmth. Maybe she wasn’t the only one with a crush after all.

* * *

The time of the “hang out” had come. It was a bit after nine o’clock on Sunday night and Edelgard was just arriving at the boxing gym. If the address Byleth had given her was correct, she had arrived. Eisner Fitness. Edelgard hadn’t heard of it, but she had never really looked into Enbarr’s boxing scene before. The place looked closed from the outside, but it was where Byleth had told her to go, so she decided to try the front door. A thrill shot through her as the door swung open. What an odd thing to ask someone to do, come to the gym so late at night. It felt clandestine in a way that excited her.

Most of the lights in the gym were off except for those lighting the corner where the punching bags hung, ready for a beating. The place was deserted save for a steady muffled thumping sound. Edelgard kept her back straight and approached the sound. Just in case it wasn’t Byleth, she wanted to make sure she looked like she was supposed to be there. She weaved her way through the equipment and nearly choked when she finally came upon the lone occupant of Eisner Fitness. She saw Byleth right as she was slamming a series of kicks and punches into a hanging punching bag. Each hit was solid and delivered in quick succession, but Edelgard was hit with another wave of that romance movie slowmo as she took in Byleth in all of her athletic glory. 

She was wearing tight black workout shorts that clung perfectly to the musculature of her thighs, and a cropped exercise tank that was just as flattering as it framed the flexed muscles of her shoulders. Edlegard’s eyes were drawn in an instant to the open window at the front of the shirt, and she had to pry her eyes away to keep herself from being such an obvious ogler. To put it simply, Byleth was glorious. Her body glistened with sweat, and Edelgard couldn’t help but think that she was sparkling. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail once again, which gave Edelgard full access to watch as a bead of sweat dripped down the length of her neck.

Edelgard had noticed the muscles of Byleth’s arms before, but they looked even more chiseled midworkout as she drove a left-hook into the leather with another thump. Edelgard felt the power of the blow as if she were the one being struck. Byleth’s body was like a weapon, and Edelgard could not help but think she would be the type to survive in a zombie apocalypse. She was torn between wanting to announce her presence and wanting to be a fly on the wall. But no, if she wanted this to turn into a real relationship, she would have to act like a real person.

She walked closer. “Byleth. Hi!”

How did people talk again? Not like that. Byleth stopped what she was doing. She looked over and smiled the moment her eyes landed on Edelgard. That simple, involuntary act made Edelgard’s heart skip a beat. She smiled back. Byleth’s breathing was slightly labored, but she was glowing and more radiant than ever. Edelgard was having trouble deciding where to look. Her eyes? Too intense. Her boob window? No, absolutely not. Act like she was observing the gym so she could avoid looking at Byleth at all? Tempting, but probably not the best choice. Byleth must have noticed her nervous energy.

“You said at the bar the other day that you like to work out. So I thought…” Byleth gestured to the empty gym. “We can do something else if you want to though.”

Edelgard shook her head. She had assumed they would be doing something physical. In her texts, Byleth had asked her to wear comfortable exercise clothes instead of dressing up. It wasn’t really a conventional date, though she supposed they weren’t technically dating, and they hadn’t exactly been conventional in their relationship up to this point. That, and it was hard to think straight with her sweaty, panting, jacked dream girl looking at her with those big blue eyes. She would probably do anything Byleth asked in that moment, so it was probably best that all she wanted to do was work out. She realized that she had not actually responded to Byleth yet.

“That sounds fun. I’m in.”

Byleth’s face lit up. “Hold on.”

Without another word, she turned around and trotted off to the back of the gym. As she walked away, Edelgard noticed an intricate floral back tattoo on the skin that was left exposed by her outfit. She somehow had been too frazzled to notice the thing at Byleth’s apartment the other day. It was beautiful and delicate, and it was clear that it was much larger than what she could see. Edelgard was left to wait with her thoughts, so she steered them away from thinking too much harder about the skin of Byleth’s back. It was true, on their first date she had mentioned liking exercise. She desired control in her life, which extended to her body and appearance, so she went to the gym regularly. It wasn’t a hobby really, just something she did out of habit and to let off steam, but she wasn’t about to tell Byleth that. She didn’t want to let her down… or give her a reason to put her clothes back on.

Byleth soon returned with a set of gloves and shin guards similar to the ones she was wearing. 

“Take your coat off.”

Edelgard did so without thinking. She was wearing high waisted black leggings and a slightly cropped black exercise top. It was hard to not feel exposed—she had never shown this much skin around Byleth before—but it was actually modest for a workout outfit. And, looking again at what Byleth was wearing, Edelgard almost felt overdressed.

“Have you worn stuff like this before?” Byleth asked, holding up the gear.

Before Edelgard knew it, she was showing her how to properly wear the equipment. A few light touches here and there to help with the straps had her sweating before they had even begun to work out. Hopefully Byleth didn’t notice her raised body temperature. Or if she did notice, hopefully she didn’t think it was because Edelgard’s body was short circuiting because of her. Play it cool, Edelgard, play it cool. 

Byleth stepped back and looked Edelgard over with a satisfied smirk. She nodded to herself.

“You look good, Edelgard. Ready to get physical?”

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/186397994@N08/49335114881/in/dateposted-public/)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> get ready for things to heat up next time!! i hope y'all enjoyed and i hope you love the art by @doritosandsauce as much as i do!! check her out on twitter she's amazing
> 
> lmk what you think and what you wanna see next in the comments or on twitter @shadocoon! catch ya next time :)
> 
> -sarah


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ah, what is there to say, enjoy!

“Very good, Edelgard! Again, just like that!”

Edelgard took another swing at the unforgiving leather of the punching bag. Her fist connected with a  _ thwack _ that sounded pathetic compared to what she had seen from Byleth earlier. Despite that, Byleth was glowing with a combination of approval and energy that Edelgard had not expected to see from her. She had been worried about learning Muay Thai from her crush, but she enjoyed the physicality of the activity and…

“Amazing work, you’re a natural fighter, you know that?” Byleth nodded with a satisfied smile as Edelgard attacked once more. 

Edelgard was used to being told she had done a good job. In school, at work, no matter where she was or what she was doing, she always strove for perfection. But there was something about the way that Byleth praised her… It sent a warmth tingling through her whole body. It made her want more. More praise, more of those approving eyes looking at her. It made her feel safe, and… something more. She would examine that feeling when she was alone and not actively being complimented on her form by Hot Barista Byleth.

Byleth cracked her neck in a way that was entirely too attractive. “How about I show you a kick? Then we can call it a night.”

Edelgard didn’t want to call it a night. She was having more fun than she could have imagined. The combination of physical activity and learning left her feeling focused instead of anxious. It was nice to use her body instead of her mind sometimes, to be more in tune with the movements of her muscles than the musings of her thoughts. But she was starting to get tired, and it  _ would  _ be kind of odd if they just worked out for a few hours and then parted ways. Maybe they could go to a bar or something after this. Or to Byleth’s place again.

“Yes! A kick sounds wonderful.” Edelgard yelped as she realized the dangerous trajectory of her thoughts.

They were in the boxing gym where Byleth worked, there was no way events were going to follow the same path they did the last time they saw each other. Though it was hard to go for too long without thinking about the feel of Byleth’s lips and the way it felt to be held by her now that she had experienced it.

“It’s just a simple roundhouse. Like so.”

Byleth fell into the wide-legged stance that she had shown Edelgard and bounced up and down on her bare feet for a moment. Her expression changed in an instant to one of extreme focus. She stepped forward and brought her leg around to slam it into the punching bag. She stood back, gave a curt nod to the bag, and turned to Edelgard. 

“After you take up your stance, you want to make sure you’re light on your feet, it’s better for momentum and mobility. Good stance! Now,” Byleth knelt down in front of Edelgard, “you want to feel the contact here.”

She placed her hand on Edelgard’s shin and ran it down to the front of her foot. She jumped internally at the physical contact but somehow managed to keep calm on the surface. Byleth’s hand was warm, and the touch of her fingers was more than enough to send Edelgard’s thoughts spiralling once again.

“You feel that? That’s what you should use to hit the bag.”

“Got it,” Edelgard managed to choke out.

She needed Byleth to stop kneeling in front of her as soon as possible before she truly lost her composure. Edelgard breathed a sigh of relief as Byleth straightened up, only for the sound to transform into a small yelp as Byleth’s hands instead found their way to the small of her back. 

She pulled away in a flash. “Are you okay?”

Edelgard gave a pained nod. “Fine, yes. Yes, I’m fine.”

Byleth nodded and once again brought her hands to Edelgard’s back. “Make sure to straighten up here, and,” She moved her hands up to Edelgard’s shoulders and repositioned them, “you want your torso to be facing this way.” She stood back to admire her work. “Perfect.”

Edelgard half expected herself to be a puddle on the floor after all of that, but she was somehow still standing. Heat lingered in each and every spot that Byleth had just touched her. Was she doing this on purpose or was she truly just trying to instruct her in Muay Thai? Byleth had to know the effect she was having, but she seemed so intent on teaching Edelgard that it could be possible she had no idea.

* * *

Edelgard wasn’t sure how much time had passed by the time she and Byleth were both satisfied with her progress. All she knew was that she was sweaty, gross, and exhausted. If Byleth’s sweat made her sparkle like some Twilight vampire, Edelgard was sure her own sweat made her look more like a damp rag. Byleth didn’t seem at all deterred by this as she slammed a supportive hand onto Edelgard’s back.

“Good work, Edelgard! You really are good at this you know?” She was grinning.

Edelgard felt her own mouth turn up in a smile in response. Byleth really was in her element in the gym. Her smile radiant and lit up her face in a wonderful way. Edelgard did her best to document the small dimple on her right cheek, the way her eyes crinkled at the corners, the sharpness of her canines, and the surprising fullness of her cheeks. No matter how much Edelgard wanted to go home and shower, she didn’t want to waste the opportunity to spend more time with Byleth.

“Do you maybe want to get something to eat?”

Edelgard flinched as Byleth’s grin turned into a slight frown. “I would love to but…” she trailed off and looked to the clock on the wall that showed it was nearing midnight somehow.

Edelgard tried to laugh off her disappointment. “It has gotten quite late, hasn’t it?”

Byleth studied her for a moment. “Follow me,” she said, “I know a great gourmet restaurant that’s still open.

Without waiting for Edelgard to respond, she strode away towards the front of her gym. Edelgard scurried after her without time to grab any of her stuff or ask where they were going. Thirty seconds later, they stood in the lobby area in front of a row of vending machines.

“Go ahead and pick what you want, I’m paying.”

Edelgard looked at Byleth who stared back with an impassive expression. She motioned to the machines and waited for Edelgard to peruse.

A moment later she asked, “What color you want?”

“Pardon?”

“Gatorade.

“Oh, uh, white?”

When it became clear that Byleth had nothing else to say, Edelgard turned back to the vending machine. Her eyes were instantly drawn to all of the candy, but she felt self conscious so she decided on pretzels instead. Byleth came over to her with a white and a yellow Gatorade. She bought Edelgard’s pretzels as well as a load of other snacks. The only sound in the gym was the drone of the vending machine as it worked on dispensing their late dinner. 

Byleth motioned with her head and led them back to the only lit area of the gym where they had just been. She lowered herself down to the ground with a thud, leaned against the wall, and patted the spot next to her. Somehow the silence that stretched between them wasn’t awkward, and Edelgard felt no need to fill it with small talk. Byleth didn’t seem to be the type who liked conversation for conversation’s sake, and Edelgard felt the same way. It was a small but nice thing to find they had in common.

She had never really enjoyed Gatorade before, but sitting against the wall with Byleth’s thigh pressed against her made the sports drink taste like ambrosia. After a few minutes of eating and drinking Byleth handed her half a Snickers. Edelgard accepted it gratefully, and they continued to share the mixture of chips and candy that Byleth had bought. She must have spent around twenty dollars on the vending machines, but she was so unapologetic about her eating that Edelgard felt comfortable chowing down with her without abandon.

Byleth leaned against the wall with her legs spread out in front of her. She looked surprisingly long sprawled out like that, and Edelgard felt it hard not to admire the muscles on her legs. Another tattoo peeked out of her exercise shorts, but it was hard to make out what it was with most of it obscured. Edelgard decided to not stare too hard. Instead, she focused on the point of contact where their legs were touching oh so sweetly.

* * *

As the night began to feel like it was winding down, Edelgard found a strange feeling of disappointment settle over her shoulders like a mantle. She had had a nice night, truly, but she had hoped Byleth would make a move even though it wasn’t really the setting for such a thing. But still, Edelgard had been the one to initiate their first kiss, so it only felt right that she was off the hook this time. She didn’t want to feel like she was pressuring Byleth into anything or coming on too strong. Maybe she really just wanted to hang out and be midnight workout buddies. Edelgard got to her feet, and Byleth followed with a question in her eyes.

“I should probably get going soon.” Edelgard instantly regretted her words, but she didn’t want to linger and make things awkward.

“Do you have to leave this second?” Byleth asked.

Her whole presence had shifted in that moment. Her gaze had gone from casual to evaluating, her posture from relaxed to engaged. Edelgard’s heart skipped a beat. Byleth took a step closer and Edelgard stepped back involuntarily and found her back against the wall. Byleth was looking at her now with intent that made her feel dizzy, she extended an arm so she was leaning against the wall, closing Edelgard in. She was being pinned down by those eyes, cornered by Byleth’s body in front of her. They were so close that Edelgard could make out the fine hairs on her upper lip and the faint hint of a scar on the side of her face.

“May I?” Byleth asked, her voice so soft that Edelgard felt her heart tug.

Yes, yes, yes,  _ of course _ yes. Edelgard gave a slow nod, afraid that breaking eye contact would mean breaking the moment. Byleth leaned in and kissed her so slow and sweet that Edelgard felt it in her toes. She pulled away after a moment, leaving Edelgard yearning for more. She wanted to trail kisses up the length of her arm, slowly making her way to her neck. She wanted to taste that skin, taste that sweat. Leave her mark.

“Edelgard,” Byleth said.

“Call me El,” she responded without thought.

It was a mistake, telling this woman she had only known for a few weeks to call her such a cherished childhood nickname but…

“El, you’re beautiful.”

There was nothing she could do other than melt at those words. How could she tell her that it was a mistake—that she had gotten ahead of herself by asking to be called that—when Byleth spoke to her with such a tender voice? She wanted to respond and tell Byleth she was beautiful too, but she couldn’t find her voice, and—as she fumbled for it—Byleth leaned in once more. The kiss was fiercer this time, and Edelgard could not tell which one of them was the reason for the shift. Maybe it was the setting. Something about being in the empty gym, a public place with an unlocked door, made her stomach swim with heat. The idea that someone could walk in and see them should’ve made her nervous, but she just felt excited.

Maybe it was because Byleth had been waiting as well. Waiting to taste her again, feel her again. Did Byleth have her own dreams that left her sweaty and wanting in her tangled sheets? Just the thought was enough to rocket Edelgard’s heart into overdrive. Merely the idea of Byleth, flushed and needing and craving her turned her knees to jelly. Byleth pulled away, and Edelgard tried not to groan in frustration. 

She leaned in close enough for her breath to brush against Edelgard’s ear as she whispered, “I’ve been waiting to kiss you again, El.”

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/186397994@N08/49374690572/in/dateposted-public/)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oooooh we gettin steamy and it's not just bc of the workout! next week, i skip forward in time just to be a tease (jk it will be a direct continuation)
> 
> i hope you enjoyed! please let me know what you think in the comments (which i will start replying to soon i really want to i'm just a mess at replying to comments) or on twitter [shadocoon!](https://twitter.com/shadocoon)!! 
> 
> this chapter was a blast to write so i hope it was a blast to read :)
> 
> -sarah
> 
> (p.s. amazing cover art done once again by [doritos!](https://twitter.com/doritosandsauce)


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! so, after a very long and unplanned hiatus, stuck on you is back!! i'll put more lengthy notes at the end of the chapter so you can get right in there and read :)

“I’ve been waiting to kiss you too.” Edelgard breathed.

If her heart had not belonged to Byleth before that moment, it was all over now. To be openly wanted was not a feeling she was used to. Normally, such intensity would scare her, but that was not the case with Byleth. With Byleth, the desire made Edelgard feel heady. You deserve this, her heart told her, you deserve _ her _.

“That’s good to hear.” Byleth smirked as she leaned in once more.

Their bodies pressed up against each other as she captured Edelgard’s lips in hers. The cold wall pushed against Edelgard’s back as Byleth’s soft warmth eased into her front. Intoxicated by her touch and the taste of her lips, Edelgard did not second guess herself as she allowed her own body to take control. Why let her brain get in the way now of all times?

Edelgard trailed her left hand up Byleth’s torso, drinking in the feeling of her soft skin and taut muscles. Her other hand slid across her back as she pulled them even closer together. Byleth sighed into the kiss and melted into Edelgard’s touch. She was still leaning against the wall, one arm braced next to Edelgard’s head for support, leaving her left hand free to grab onto Edelgard’s waist.

Edelgard found her own hands traveling ever higher up Byleth’s sides. She massaged and caressed the skin, relishing the way she could feel Byleth shudder and lean hard into her touch. For the second time, Byleth broke away from the kiss. This time Edelgard did moan in complaint. Byleth huffed out a small laugh in response before beginning to trail a series of kisses down Edelgard’s neck, causing her to inhale sharply. Growing bolder, she stroked her fingers up Byleth’s torso, hesitating as she reached the bottom of her sports bra. Byleth let out an appreciative moan. Gaining momentum, Edelgard slid her thumbs under the tight band and fondled the bottom of Byleth’s breasts.

Byleth’s breath hiccuped, and her teeth dug into the soft skin at the base of Edelgard’s neck. Edelgard gasped at the sudden pain but soon melted into pleasure as she lost herself in the feeling of Byleth’s teeth and tongue. She knew it would leave a mark, which only made the warmth in her core grow ever hotter. Speaking of that warmth–that heat–it was impossible to ignore at this point. She would have to rush home to do something about it herself unless… 

“Byleth,” Edelgard all but pleaded.

She wanted to say more, to say, “please touch me more,” “I need you,” “keep doing that,” but the thought of speaking made her grow self conscious. Byleth ceased what she was doing and pulled away to look Edelgard in the eye.

“Do you want me to stop?” she asked, and Edelgard knew that she would do so without any resentment or disappointment if she said yes.

“No.”

“Tell me what you want, El,” Byelth breathed.

“I want…”

Again, all of her wants and desires flooded her brain, but it was like there was a dam of shame that didn’t allow them to flow past her lips. Her frustration with herself was almost as unbearable as how badly she _ needed _ to communicate, to let herself go and fully enjoy the moment.

“...more,” she finished, “I want more.”

It wasn’t much to go on, but Byleth smiled at the words. 

“Just tell me if you want me to stop, and I’ll stop. Okay?”

Edelgard was surprised to find that Byleth’s face was just as flushed as she imagined her own to be. She had been so focused on her own experience that she hadn’t been thinking about the fact that Byleth was enjoying herself too. That was good.

And god, was she beautiful. Edelgard was so used to seeing the perfect, sexy, almost distant Byleth of Seirosbucks and Ostia Ink, but it turned out that this version of Byleth was the most exquisite of all. Loose strands of hair were plastered to her forehead, and her cheeks were pink with heat. Her breath came in small gasps as she looked at Edelgard, her eyes clouded with desire. Realizing she was still waiting for a response, Edelgard nodded. Byleth removed her hand from the wall, and–with those perfect fingers–tucked some loose hair behind Edelgard’s ear. The shadow of her touch managed to send a shiver up Edelgard’s spine even more than the way Byleth’s body continued to press against her.

“Good girl,” Byleth hummed.

And with that, Byleth’s other hand made its way farther up Edelgard’s body until she was cupping her breast. Edelgard let out a strangled moan as Byleth’s finger brushed against her nipple. Even through the fabric of her workout clothes, the sensation was electric.

Edelgard gasped, “Fuck.”

She was so close, she just needed… something. While still eliciting pleasure with the actions of her hand, Byleth shifted her lower body. Unsurprisingly, she knew exactly what it was that Edelgard needed. Her knee edged Edelgard’s legs apart causing her to whine in pleasure at the sudden pressure. Even though she had never done anything like this with another person before, her body knew exactly what to do–exactly what it needed.

Edelgard wrapped her leg around Byleth’s and began grinding against her. Byleth let out a sound of satisfaction and grabbed Edelgard’s thigh with a strong hand. She pulled them even closer together–something that Edelgard hadn’t thought was possible–and then her mouth was back on Edelgard’s neck, her fingers continuing to stroke and tease. Teeth and tongue worked together and soon Edelgard was grinding senselessly against her as Byleth held her up, sighing in pleasure as she listened to Edelgard unravel against her. Just as Edelgard was about to cry out, Byleth captured her lips for one last kiss.

It took Edelgard a moment to reorient herself after her brain finally stopped swimming. She found herself collapsed against Byleth, who was holding her up with a soft smile on her beautiful, perfect, handsome, sweaty face.

“Hey there,” she said, her voice deep and sure.

“Hey,” Edelgard responded, “Do you wanna sit down?”

Byleth laughed, and the sound filled the empty gym. A blush came to Edelgard’s face as she thought about what sounds must have been in the air mere moments ago.

“Sitting sounds like a good idea.”

Edelgard straightened her clothes and was filled with sudden and all-encompassing shame. Byleth didn’t seem so bothered, still wearing an easy and satisfied smile as she fixed her bra. What was she supposed to say after something like that? The last time they had hooked up, it had been so much easier to just drink some tea and watch TV. But the last time she hadn’t… well _ they _hadn’t done quite so much. Should she say something funny? Something sexy? Run out the door and never look back? It would only be a matter of time until Byleth realized she knew nothing about this kind of stuff. What if she didn’t want to stick around after that?

“Some workout, huh?” Byleth offered. “I really broke a sweat.”

Edelgard turned her head to find that the woman was grinning. She couldn’t help but smile back.

* * *

“So,” Dorothea waggled her eyebrows in a ridiculous manner, “did you make out with her again?”

Edelgard could feel the blush grow on her face as she was brought back to her midnight tryst for the millionth time since it had happened. Dorothea’s eyes were expectant as she took a sip of her iced coffee. They were back in the same Indech Library study room reviewing for finals, and Edelgard had been waiting for Dorothea to ask about the date. It had taken a full fifteen minutes, far longer than Edelgard had expected.

“We, uh, did a bit more than make out,” Edelgard confessed, unable to meet Dorothea’s eyes.

She kept herself from reaching up to touch one of her many concealed hickies.

Dorothea’s face lit up. “Tell me everything,” she said, “If you want to, of course.”

Edelgard was surprised to find that she did indeed want to tell Dorothea what had happened. Not every detail, but it felt nice to talk about her love life. Wow, she had a love life to talk about. That was new. 

She told Dorothea an abridged version of the other night and enjoyed the spectacle of watching her friend’s eyebrows raise higher and higher as she spoke.

“Well no wonder she looked so happy,” Dorothea stated.

“Wait, what? You saw her? When did you see her?”

“Slow it down, Edie.” Dorothea held up her coffee. “She’s working today.”

Edelgard looked down at the Seirosbucks logo on the cup of tea that Dorothea had brought her. Right, that made sense. But it was a Wednesday… which probably just meant she was covering for someone, so, yes, it still made sense.

“She looked like she was walking on air. She was all,” Dorothea deepened her voice, “‘Oh, Dorothea however is my dear Edelgard? I look very sexy today because I just had sex.’”

“We didn’t have sex,” Edelgard squeaked.

Dorothea looked at her for a long moment. “Suit yourself. She did ask about you though, and she did look sexy, so I got it mostly right.”

Edelgard could not help the shaky smile that came to her face. “She asked about me?”

Dorothea took another sip of her drink and Edelgard followed suit, letting the hot tea ground her.

“Of course she asked about you, Edie. The girl likes you, you know. As she should.”

Not sure what to say, Edelgard turned back to her notes, but she could barely focus on what she was reading. The cup of tea was warm in her hands, so she tried to focus on the pleasantness of that sensation to ground herself. She couldn't spend every spare moment she had thinking about–

Byleth: i saw dorothea at work today

Byleth: made me think of you

The texts popped up on her screen in quick succession, and Edelgard almost choked on her tea. Before she could even pick up her phone a third and fourth text came in.

Byleth: i picked up a shift today so i’m near your dorm

Byleth: was wondering if i could come over for a bit after work

Edelgard took a deep breath and picked up her phone. She glanced up at Dorothea whose eyes darted back to her notes as she barely concealed a smile.

Edelgard: Sure, I’m just studying. When do you get off of work?

Byleth: 6 work for you?

Edelgard finished up the conversation with shaky fingers. “I, uh, I have plans a little after six, so I’ll have to head out early. Is that okay?”

“Oh, I have a very busy Wednesday night planned,” Dorothea answered, “Lots of private studying to do.”

Edelgard decided to pretend that Dorothea was telling her the truth instead of reading her mind. So much for a night of studying. She tried to pretend she was annoyed that Byleth was just popping in and disrupting her plans, but she was unsuccessful. A combination of apprehension and excitement swam in her gut as she began counting down the hours.

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/186397994@N08/49931511122/in/dateposted-public/)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope no one forgot about me and this fic lol 2020 has not been the most creative year and i'm sorry for that! writing this fic is fun for me and super important to me, but it's definitely a lot of work, so it ended up at the wayside while i was dealing with some irl stuff  
for those of you who don't follow me on twitter, i got top surgery in late february (and also kinda quit my job), so the beginning of the year was prepping for that, and then i spent a while recovering! and then all of a sudden this quarantine garbage happened (and then my gf and i moved mid-quarantine so lol), so i'm unemployed and stuck at home, which is not a combo that makes me feel creative, so... yeah!
> 
> but anyway! i'm so happy to post again, and if you read that whole note lol thank u! i don't think i'll be able to be at a weekly posting schedule, but i'm gonna try to get back on track because this story is still fun for me and i still love edeleth!
> 
> as always, the amazing art is by my homie [doritos](https://twitter.com/doritosandsauce) who is the best as we all know
> 
> comments are more appreciated than ever by a blocked and anxious writer lol, so i hope y'all enjoyed the chapter and are looking forward to more! as always you can also hit me up on twitter [@shadocoon!](https://twitter.com/shadocoon)
> 
> -sarah


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey look! it didn't take me five months to write this chapter so that's cool. i actually wrote the whole thing in three days and then took ages to edit it but no one needs to know that :)
> 
> anyway, [click here now](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czTksCF6X8Y) for this chapter's mood music and thank me later
> 
> enjoy!

Edelgard had to double and triple check that she wasn’t literally vibrating with excitement as she went downstairs to let Byleth in. She had gotten home at around 5 PM and spent the last hour and fifteen minutes making both her room and herself presentable. She didn't think she owned anything that screamed, “Byleth, I’m obsessed with you!” or “run away and never look back!” but she couldn’t be too safe. Not when her  _ crush  _ was coming to her  _ dorm  _ after they had  _ hooked up _ . So, yes, Edelgard was ever so slightly stressed about the whole matter.

Stressed and so excited that she hardly knew what to do with herself. Hence the vibrating with excitement problem she was having. The elevator was taking its sweet time getting down to the lobby, and Edelgard began to worry that Byleth would no longer be there by the time she made it downstairs.

“Don’t be foolish,” she muttered to herself, “She’s the one who asked to come over in the first place.”

Edelgard aimed a polite smile at the students who were waiting for the elevator as she disembarked. She made sure her keycard was in her back pocket before going outside. And there she was, in all of her baseball cap, puffer jacket, distressed jeans glory. Her breath puffed into delicate white clouds in the late November air. Byleth was focused on her phone but looked up at the sound of Edelgard’s footsteps. Her face broke into a surprisingly dazzling smile, but her eyes were as intense and searching as ever. That gaze made Edelgard feel self conscious in her sweater and jeans even though they were clothes that she had chosen especially for that night. Maybe she would never feel comfortable under that penetrating stare of Byleth’s, or maybe she was still getting used to it. If anything, it was nice to imagine that Byleth might enjoy looking at her as much as the reverse was true.

“Hi,” Edelgard said.

She wasn’t sure how she was supposed to interact with Byleth now, but normal and casual felt best. In response, she held up a flat cardboard box.

“Pizza?”

* * *

The ride up to the tenth floor was mostly quiet. It wasn’t too awkward of a silence, but that did not stop Edelgard from feeling an overwhelming urge to fill it. All of the ease she had started to feel with Byleth was a thing of the past apparently. How was she supposed to be casual and chill when she still remembered the feel of Byleth’s hands and the way she sounded when her voice was breathy with pleasure?

“Red looks good on you.”

For an alarming moment, Edelgard thought Byleth was referring to the scarlet flush that had surely come to her face. She was about to make an excuse about the heat in the elevator when she realized how ridiculous she was being.

“Thanks,” she muttered as she fingered the red cashmere of her sweater, “It’s my favorite color.”

“As it should be.” Byleth gave her that mild, unreadable Byleth smile.

She was saved from needing to say anything in response as the elevator doors opened with a  _ ding _ on her floor. Byleth followed her down the hallway, glancing this way and that. Edelgard had to stop herself from laughing as the woman peered into the communal living area and kitchen. She hadn’t expected her to be so curious. It was cute.

“Here we are,” Edelgard announced as she unlocked the door to her room.

Byleth reappeared behind her, pizza box in hand. She was already peeking into the room before the door had opened all the way. They entered and she gave an appreciative whistle as she kicked off her sneakers.

“Damn, I knew you were fancy, but I didn’t know you were  _ fancy  _ fancy.”

Edelgard’s head shot up to look at Byleth. “I’m not– okay, maybe I am fancy fancy.”

“Right on.”

Edelgard fidgeted as Byleth looked around and drank in every single detail of her room. She pointed to one of her posters.

“You like Mittelfrank?” Her eyes had come alive in a way Edelgard had never seen before.

“Well, yes, I–”

“They’re so underground, I didn’t think you’d know them. No, that makes me sound like a douchey hipster…”

It was Edelgard’s turn to cut Byleth off. “No, you’re right. I just know them because we’re friends.”

Byleth looked just about ready to drop the pizza, so Edelgard took it and put the box on her coffee table. She wasn’t in the mood to clean stains out of her rug.

“You’re even cooler than I thought.”

Edelgard laughed, flattered despite herself. “You met Dorothea, right? She’s the lead singer.”

Byleth’s mouth dropped open to form an expression of shock more over the top than Edelgard had thought her capable of.

“Oh shit. I’m an idiot. I tattooed Dorothea Arnault and didn’t even realize it was Dorothea Arnault.”

“You’re not an idiot,” Edelgard chided, trying not to laugh, “Do you want to sit?”

Byleth plopped down where she was to sit on the rug. She leaned back on the heels of her palms, legs spread in a lazy sprawl much like how she had sat against the wall at Eisner Fitness. Edelgard glanced over to the two seater couch that Byleth had ignored, remembered it was also called a loveseat, and sat down on the floor as well. Byleth shed her jacket to reveal a red flannel unbuttoned over a graphic t-shirt. It was a dark green with a faded yellow design that Edelgard couldn’t quite make out.

“I hope you didn’t eat already.” Byleth reached over to open the box. “I got plain. You’re not vegan or anything right?”

Edelgard shook her head, and Byleth smiled and handed her a slice. She did her best to grab it without touching the cheese, which was easier said than done. She took a delicate bite and relaxed a bit as the mixture of tomato, cheese, and basil hit her taste buds. This meal was beginning to feel like a test. Could she sit on the floor and eat a piece of pizza while managing to look beautiful and mysterious? Probably not.

Byleth, it seemed, didn’t share in her anxieties. As Edelgard was sitting there worrying, she had folded her slice in half and shoved it one-handed into her mouth to take a massive bite. Edelgard watched as she finished in a few impressive seconds, the only proof left of the pizza being the hint of grease at the corners of her mouth. She reached for a second slice, freezing when she looked up at Edelgard.

“You don’t like it?”

Edelgard realized she had yet to take a second bite and did her best to remedy that. She attempted a thumbs up while eating. Byleth’s eyes softened, and she resumed eating as well. After a few minutes, Edelgard too, was ready for seconds. Byleth shot her a grin, and Edelgard could not help but notice the sharpness of her canines. She gulped when she remembered the feel of those teeth scraping against the sensitive skin of her neck. Byleth’s eyes glinted, and Edelgard couldn’t help but think the girl could read her mind.

“How’s school?” Byleth asked out of the blue.

The question–though sudden–felt genuine, and Byleth’s face was warm and open. It was also nice to have an excuse to think about something more innocent.

“I actually spent all day studying for finals and forgot to eat lunch. Thanks again for the pizza.”

She decided not to mention that she had been too nervous to even remember lunch was a meal until Byleth brought it up.

“You have any final projects for art class?”

They talked and ate until they were left with an empty box and a comfortable atmosphere. It felt almost like hanging out with Dorothea or another friend. Or it would have, but Byleth had edged closer at some point, and Edelgard was left hyper-aware of the proximity of their bodies. They weren’t  _ that  _ close, but her skin prickled when it was near Byleth, and it was getting harder and harder to focus on their conversation. Byleth dropped her head back, draped an arm over her stomach, and sighed. The tips of her fingers almost brushed Edelgard’s side.

“God, I love pizza,” she hummed.

Edelgard chuckled, trying to ignore the useless hammering of her heart. “It really is a perfect food.”

Byleth opened one eye and looked at her with a lazy smile. Instead of responding, she leaned forward until her face was inches away. She smelled of the same citrus shampoo. Edelgard’s breath hitched as she caught a hint of the smell of Byleth’s mouth through her slightly parted lips. They hadn’t kissed or even hugged yet, it was only a matter of time. Edelgard closed her eyes in anticipation. Her heart thudded even harder in her chest. Byleth’s hand brushed the corner of her mouth, and then… nothing.

Edelgard opened her eyes after a few more seconds ticked by only to see that Byleth had leaned away. She was holding something between her thumb and pointer finger.

“You had cheese on your face,” she stated.

She popped the piece of cheese into her mouth before Edelgard could formulate a response. Presumptuous fool! It had to be obvious that she had been expecting Byleth to kiss her, and now she was just sitting there looking needy and desperate. Unsure how to gather her shattered dignity, Edelgard got to her feet.

“I have to go to the bathroom.”

It was a lame excuse, but she kind of wanted to cry, and she really needed a moment to clear her head without those blue eyes boring into her. She didn’t want to look into them, lest they were pitying, confused, or something worse.

“Wait.” Byleth’s voice was quiet and deep.

Her hand looped around Edelgard’s wrist and pulled her back down. Their mouths met with some force. Her lips were a bit chapped and greasy, but she tasted even better than Edelgard had remembered. Warm and sweet, but with a sharpness. Edelgard lost herself in the kiss, in how their lips worked against each other and filled her with heat. Her body remembered in all too vivid detail just how Byleth could make her feel. How she could make her feel again. Edelgard broke the kiss, cheeks burning and head swimming.

“What are you doing?” she squeaked.

Byleth looked concerned as she stood up from her half-seated position.

“You looked like you wanted me to kiss you.”

Though her words were true, all they did was make Edelgard feel embarrassed and a bit angry.

“No, I, well I…” she trailed off, “Only if you also want to. I don’t want to force you to kiss me.”

She kept her eyes down, not sure if she would laugh or cry if they made eye contact. Seconds ticked by in silence.

Byleth took a breath in. “I didn’t want to pressure you.”

Before she could temper herself, Edelgard snapped, “God, Byleth, do you really think you’re pressuring me after everything that’s happened? Do you know how much I want this?”

Another beat of silence.

“Want what?” Byleth’s voice was so low it was dangerous.

Edelgard didn’t know what to say. “Us?” “You?” Any answer felt too honest, and this night was already far more vulnerable than she had planned. At a loss for words, she grabbed Byleth by the front of her flannel and pulled her in for another kiss. This time she set the pace, leaving Byleth to follow. It was faster than usual, harder, but she was angry, and it felt good. The frustration that filled her was due mostly to her own inability to communicate and say what she wanted. Not wanting to think about herself any more, Edelgard threw herself into the physicality of the moment. She tightened her grip on the shirt, pressed their bodies together, and bit down on Byleth’s lower lip. She wasn’t sure which one of them shivered. Edelgard gave Byleth a light push that sent her stumbling back a step.

“That,” she finally answered.

She turned on her heel and left Byleth standing there, mouth open in the beginning of an incredulous smile, as she closed the bathroom door behind her.

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/186397994@N08/50006241572/in/dateposted-public/)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah you tell her, el! speak your mind girl! okay i have no insightful commentary but i hope y'all enjoyed!
> 
> it was both difficult and cathartic for me to focus on writing this chapter because of what it's like being black in america right now (and always but especially right now) so thanks for the patience!
> 
> as always i love your comments so much! and i am bad at replying to them bc i get overwhelmed and anxious but i WILL reply to last chapter and this chapter! just know i read all of them and the folks who comment are a huge part of why i'm still working on this story so thank you <3
> 
> amazing art as always is by the homie [doritos](https://www.twitter.com/doritosandsauce)
> 
> feel free to hit me up on twitter as well [@shadocoon](https://www.twitter.com/shadocoon) i love to chat (also i've apparently decided to start playing old fire emblem games on youtube so uh, look out for that too lol
> 
> -sarah


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello and happy sunday! the world is a terrible terrible place and that's all really at the forefront these days, so i hope this chapter can bring you a few minutes of happiness and distraction! 
> 
> enjoy!

Edelgard stared deep into the violet eyes of her own reflection.

“What. The. Fuck,” she whispered.

The bathroom mirror did not respond. She waited for a wave of regret or anxiety to wash over her, but it did not come. Instead, she felt oddly satisfied. That might’ve been the first time she had really asserted herself with Byleth, and it felt damn good. Her face was flushed and her smile shaky, but the confidence was there. She wanted to splash some cold water on her face, but that would mess up her makeup, so she opted to reapply her deodorant and run some cold water over her wrists.

Feeling considerably cooled down, Edelgard made sure to mentally center herself before going back into the room. Feeling calm and in control was a forte of hers, she reminded herself, it was only Byleth’s presence that turned her into a flustered mess. The cold metal of the doorknob was refreshing on her palm as she opened the bathroom door.

Byleth was perched on the bed. Her flannel had joined her jacket in a pile on the floor, and she was left in her jeans and t-shirt. Now that the design was no longer obscured, Edelgard could make out that the shirt borde a print of a sword and the words “The Mani Kattis.” Another band she didn’t know most likely. Byleth appeared to be busy picking at a hangnail, so Edelgard cleared her throat. Byleth’s head shot up at the sound, and Edelgard swore she could see her tail wagging.

“I’m sorry,” Edelgard said.

She wasn’t apologizing per se, but it felt like the right thing to say. An extended hand of understanding after an emotionally charged moment. Byleth’s smile said she understood.

“I’m sorry too. Thanks for saying all that.”

Edelgard smiled. “My pleasure.”

Byleth patted the bed next to her, and Edelgard only hesitated for a moment before crossing the room to sit with her. Her entire being was buzzing with their proximity at this point. And the fact that they were sitting on her  _ bed _ where she had dreamed of Byleth and… Edelgard cut off her train of thought before it could remind her what exactly those dreams were about and what exactly she did in that bed in response to them.

“Wanna watch a movie?” Byleth asked, pulling her back to the very chaste reality of the moment.

How had she not thought of that? Dating really did not come naturally to one Edelgard von Hresvelg. Make a plan of attack before going into a high stakes business meeting? No problem. Think of a single basic activity to do on a date? Not a chance.

“As long as you don’t mind watching on my laptop screen,” she offered.

“We’re not watching on that?”

Byleth pointed to Edelgard’s desk, more specifically her all red battlestation. Oh god, she wasn’t sure if she was ready to talk to Byleth about Warriors of Archanea . She wasn’t ashamed of her hobby, but she didn’t want to talk about how many hours she spent at that screen. And how much she had been neglecting it since they had started hanging out. Even now, her friends were probably deep in a dungeon without her. Also, she hadn’t checked that computer during her clean up to see what kinds of windows she had left open.

Edelgard managed to eke out an, “Ah, no, we’re not.”

Byleth’s brow furrowed. “It’s so cool though.”

Edelgard was flattered to have Byleth–who didn’t even seem to own a desktop computer–refer to her setup as “cool,” but they were absolutely not watching anything on her PC. What if she had left Discord open and Byleth saw that she was talking to someone named “jingle balls?” She and Caspar were going to have to have a serious talk about his seasonal usernames. The fact that he was Mittlefrank’s drummer somehow made the possible scenario even more embarrassing.

“I only have one desk chair.” She gestured to her red gaming chair. “We’ll be more comfortable on the couch.”

“You don’t wanna do it on the bed?” Byleth quirked an eyebrow, and Edelgard could not tell if she was smirking or not.

Edelgard almost choked on her own saliva.

“I have a bad back,” she coughed, “Couch is better.”

“Couch it is.”

Byleth got up and held out her hand. Edelgard didn’t need help getting off the bed–which Byleth probably knew–but she accepted the gesture. It warmed her whenever Byleth performed those little acts even though she knew chivalry was overrated. She felt the usual sparks as their skin came into contact, which filled her with a different, less innocent, sort of warmth. Edelgard yelped as Byleth pulled her bodily off of the bed before she could even start to get up on her own. Looking satisfied with herself, Byleth settled in on the couch as Edelgard wobbled over to grab her laptop out of her bag.She really had nothing to be embarrassed about, but a little voice in her head wouldn’t stop telling her that maybe her computer had a mind of its own and had opened up some porn while she wasn’t using it. She checked just to make sure and saw that only her notes were open. She closed them anyway, just in case Byleth had a strong opinion about note taking. Unlikely, but always possible.

Edelgard sat down, but Byleth gestured her closer once again. Edelgard hesitated for a moment before scooting over. Byleth slung an arm over her shoulder and pulled her closer so they were pressed together. Edelgard could almost hear the gears turning in Byleth’s brain before she leaned down to press a kiss to her temple. Edelgard held back her surprise at the sudden affectionate gesture and allowed herself to melt into Byleth’s side.

“So what’re we watching?”

Edelgard opened Chrome and navigated to Netflix. “I’m good with anything.”

They browsed in silence, still sitting so, so close. Byleth’s smell and warmth made it so Edelgard could barely focus on the screen.

After a few minutes, Byleth pointed and said, “That’s one of my favorite movies.”

Edelgard was surprised to see that they were in the “Offbeat Comedies” section. Byleth had struck her as more of an action movie person, but that had just been her own incorrect assumption.  _ Rumble in Renais _ . She remembered hearing about it when it came out, but she had never seen it. She clicked through to the movie and could tell that Byleth was grinning without turning to look at her.

It soon became clear that Byleth had seen the movie multiple times. She never did more than chuckle at the jokes, but she would always start laughing preemptively like someone who knew exactly what was coming. The movie was funny, so Edelgard didn’t have to deal with the stress of pretending to like it. Over time, she began to lean further into Byleth’s side. In response, the arm around her shoulders tightened its hold. Was this Heaven? It just might be.

At some point in the middle of the movie, Byleth got up, and Edelgard had to stop herself from pouting. While she was up, she turned off the light and grabbed the now cold remains of the pizza. She settled back in with a grin, propped the cardboard box of her lap, and slung her arm back over Edelgard’s shoulder with an enviable amount of casual grace.

* * *

Edelgard was beginning to grow sleepy by the time the credits started to roll. The movie had been enjoyable, but she was exhausted from studying and staying up too late playing WoA the night before. Byleth stood up from the couch and began to stretch her arms and neck after turning the lights back on. Edelgard tried to be discreet in how much she was staring at the pleasing curve of her muscles.

Byleth yawned. “I should get going. It’s late.”

Edelgard checked her phone to see that it was nearing midnight, somehow. The thought of Byleth leaving made her heart drop a bit. They never hung out for long enough. Maybe she was insatiable when it came to Byleth, but was it so wrong to want to spend more than a few hours together?

“You should stay,” Edelgard declared, “If you want to at least.”

Byleth’s eyebrows shot up, and she stopped halfway through pulling her flannel back on. Edelgard tried not to fidget as she waited for her to say no.

“Are you sure, El?”

Edelgard nodded, trying to fight off a blush. “It’s dark out and you live pretty far. I know you don’t have a toothbrush or anything, but we could–”

“Hey,” Byleth interrupted, “I’d love to. As long as you’re sure.”

“I’m sure.”

Edelgard herself wasn’t one hundred percent sure of what she was sure of, but at the very least, she didn’t want Byleth to leave, not yet. Part of her almost felt like Byleth walking out the door would undo their night, undo her finally being able to speak her mind. Also it would be nice to make out in her own space instead of Byleth's apartment or the gym. Edelgard shut her laptop and got up. Now that they had decided Byleth was going to stay, she was beginning to feel strange. A new sort of nervousness was coming over her. Even if nothing happened, they were still spending the night together. She couldn't even remember the last time she had had a sleepover with friends.

Byleth flopped back down onto the couch. "I'll sleep here."

"On the loveseat?" Edelgard scoffed, "That thing isn't even five feet long, you'd be better off sleeping on the floor."

"Alright I'll sleep on the floor." Byleth shrugged, entirely too unbothered.

Edelgard brought her hand up to massage at her forehead. Did Byleth think she was a child, or had what she had said earlier not actually gotten through the woman's thick skull? It was embarrassing to spell it out, but she had to get over herself if she wanted to actually get what she was looking for.

"Sleep with me, Byleth," she sighed and then realized the implications of what she had said, "In the bed, I mean, next to me. It's more comfortable. We don't have to do anything, I'm not trying to be creepy, just, uh, you don't have to sleep on the floor."

Byleth shot her a toothy grin. "Aight. Sounds good."

Instead of trying to figure out exactly what that expression meant, Edelgard gave Byleth directions to the recycling and sent her off to throw out the pizza box. While she was gone, she looked for any clothes that she could wear as pajamas and tried to talk herself through the situation. She managed to find a shirt and a pair of shorts that looked like they would fit.

“Alright, El, this is nothing to work yourself up over,” she muttered to herself, “Nothing scary is happening here.”

The door closed, and Edelgard jumped with a yelp.

“Yo. Uh, you good?” Byleth greeted.

Edelgard turned around. “I’m great!” she assured, “The door just surprised me. Here.”

She held out the clothes she had picked out. 

Byleth took them and said, “We’re not sleeping naked?”

Edelgard gasped and struggled for a response before she realized that Byleth was laughing. They got ready for bed in a charged silence. Edelgard went into the bathroom to wash up and throw on some pajamas. She also already knew that Byleth was the type to start stripping without warning, and she didn’t think her heart would be able to handle that at the moment. She didn’t particularly care that Byleth was going to see her without makeup. She hadn’t been wearing any the first time they had met and it had definitely washed off in the rain when they’d first kissed. She had nothing to hide. Except the constant panic and turmoil of her anxious mind of course. But that could be revealed on another day...

When she came out of the bathroom, Byleth was wearing the clothes she had given her. The sleep shirt was oversized, so it fit her without problem. It was actually large enough that it completely hid her shorts. Edelgard did not pursue the line of thought about Byleth not wearing pants. She was the one who had asked her to stay over, but–as much as she hated it–she was still a virgin, and she wasn’t sure she wanted anything major to happen. They stood next to each other in front of the twin bed for a moment.

Byleth made a grand, sweeping gesture with her arm. “After you.”

Edelgard crawled into bed and wriggled her way under the covers. Byleth was right behind her, her warmth sliding under the covers as well. Edelgard was beginning to find it hard to breathe. Her chest was tight with anticipation, but she wasn’t scared. Just nervous, unsure and  _ very _ tired. She really did want to sleep. She turned her head and was met with Byleth’s shining blue eyes mere inches from her. There was a hint of a smile at the corner of her lips, and Edelgard found herself admiring the way the filtered moonlight played off of her cheeks, casting a faint shadow of her lashes on her skin. Something stirred in Edelgard’s chest then, and her nerves began to wash away.

“Goodnight, El,” Byleth whispered.

An easy smile came to her face. “Goodnight.”

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/186397994@N08/50105330838/in/dateposted-public/)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh shoot! what's gonna happen next????? do i even know?? stay tuned to find out!
> 
> art as always is by the homie [doritos!](https://www.twitter.com/doritosandsauce)
> 
> as always i love all of your comments and i'm actually gonna answer the ones on chapter 14 now bc i'm the worst at doing that, but y'all make my day! each and every comment gives me so much joy and motivation to continue this lil story, so thank you again to everyone who goes out of the way to comment or chat with me on twitter! you guys are honestly so cool
> 
> if you do wanna hit me up you can as always [@shadocoon!](https://www.twitter.com/shadocoon)
> 
> i love you all stay safe
> 
> -sarah


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a little different than my usual but it's what byleth and el wanted so i did my best to provide!
> 
> enjoy! ;)

Edelgard’s fingers travelled over warm skin in slow, languid strokes. She was deep in a pleasant dream and did not intend to wake up. How could she when her ears were being graced with shuddering breaths and almost-moans? When the pads of her fingers could play along something so pliant and willing? In her roamings, she eventually happened upon a swell of softness. The skin pressed up into her touch, wanting. Edelgard sucked in a breath as her thumb brushed against a stiff peak. She pressed down and reveled at how it grew harder in response to her touch.

“El...” A throaty moan filled the silence of the room.

Edelgard’s eyes shot open, and she had to swim through a mire of drowsiness and desire to fully come to her senses. She realized then that, no, she was not having a sex dream. Byleth was right there, lying in front of her, and Edelgard had essentially been groping her. She pulled her hand away in a hurry, fingers burning where they still remembered the feel of Byleth’s skin, face hot with shame.

“Oh god,” she stuttered, “Byleth, I’m so sorry.”

It was dark in the room, but Edelgard could still see the way Byleth turned her head and looked at her with hazy eyes. Her breathing was heavy and uneven. The loose t-shirt she had borrowed was rucked up in the front, leaving her exposed in a way that made an incessant heat begin to pool in Edelgard’s stomach.

“Don’t stop,” she panted, locking Edelgard down with her lidded gaze.

Restless fingers twitched at the thought of returning to Byleth’s body.

“Are you sure?” she breathed.

Byleth pressed herself farther back into Edelgard’s front in response. It was hard to tell with how close together they were, but she thought she saw her nod slightly as well. Edelgard, now fully awake, hesitated for just a moment more before reaching back out. She expected her hand to be shaky or unsure, but it was steady. In a way, she still felt like she was floating in a pleasant fantasy. If she panicked or began to overthink, she would surely wake up. That was a regret she could not allow herself. 

Touching Byleth again felt like coming home. She was so alive and needing and  _ real _ under her fingertips that her breath hiccuped for a moment in awe.  _ Touching _ , they had done so much  _ touching _ , but not quite like this. She wasn’t sure what exactly made it so different. Maybe it was because they were in her bed, finally somewhere private, intimate, familiar. Perhaps it was because–even though she didn’t know what she was doing–Edelgard didn’t feel as nervous as she had in the past. Though they hadn’t had sex yet, being intimate with Byleth was becoming familiar to her. It was… nice. Very nice.

She kneaded the skin again for a moment before giving Byleth’s nipple an experimental tweak. A moan came in response. Edelgard found she quite liked the sound more every time she heard it. In the gym, she had been so distracted by her own pleasure and need that she hadn’t paid proper attention to just how damn sexy Byleth was when  _ she _ was getting off. It wasn’t a surprise of course–everything about Byleth was sexy–but that didn’t prevent her from listening to every moan, every hitched breath and muttered word. After a time, Byleth managed to maneuver Edelgard’s thigh between her legs and begin to grind against it. Edelgard couldn’t hold in her own groan of pleasure at the feeling of Byleth working against her. 

“That’s good, El,” Byleth encouraged, back arching, voice rough.

Edelgard–feeling heartened by the verbal reassurance–rolled Byleth’s nipple between her fingers harder than she had before. Byleth hissed in what was clearly pleasure, which encouraged Edelgard to be more bold and rough in her actions. Byleth reacted extremely well, squirming, grinding, gasping. Eventually, she pulled away, but it was just to turn around so they could finally face each other. Byleth’s eyes were lidded and dark. Edelgard felt herself falling forward into them as their lips met–hard–for a kiss.

Now Byleth’s thigh was between Edelgard’s legs instead, pressing into her. She was surprised to find how turned on she was just from touching Byleth, and the slight friction from her body was enough to make her gasp.

“God,” she groaned, barely aware of the way her own body was moving.

“Fuck,” Byleth breathed, “You’re so hot, El.”

“You’re not so bad yourself.”

Edelgard wasn’t sure where the words had come from, but the way Byleth grinned back at her made all thoughts leave her mind. Since they were facing each other, Edelgard was able to take both of Byleth’s nipples between her fingers. They grinded against each other as Edelgard explored each and every one of Byleth’s reactions. Next, she trailed wet kisses down Byleth’s neck, taking a moment to bite and suck at her pulse point. 

“El!” A breathless gasp as Edelgard, reaching her destination, replaced her fingers with her tongue.

Time was lost as Edelgard focused on learning Byleth,  _ knowing  _ her.

Eventually, she was stopped, but Edelgard knew now that Byleth was never truly pulling away, just transitioning into something new. She finally pulled off her shirt all the way, and Edelgard took the time to drink in the cut and flex of her muscles alongside the round softness of her breasts. The hint of her tattoo, murky in the dark. Again she was back in that unreachable dream. Edelgard did not have low self esteem by any means, but she couldn’t fathom how such a goddess was in  _ her _ bed. Byleth raked a hand through her tangled hair–pushing the messy strands out of her face–before lying back down. With a kiss and a smile, she hiked Edelgard’s leg up and laid it to rest on top of her own thigh, so they could slot even closer together.

Her hand stroked down Edelgard’s side, bypassing her shirt and going straight for the curve of her hip. She shivered into the touch and closed her eyes. Byleth continued, gentle and slow. Reverent. Her fingers themselves were rough and calloused in a way that sent shivers up Edelgard’s spine. How someone so strong could touch her so softly was a baffling puzzle that Edelgard’s pleasure-addled brain couldn’t even begin to solve.

Byleth’s hand had found its way down to play with the waistband of Edelgard’s shorts. She remained there for some time, the pads of her fingers dancing across Edelgard’s abdomen and occasionally caressing the skin of her thigh. By the time she finally made her way lower, Edelgard’s stomach was in her throat in anticipation. Even through the double layer of her underwear and shorts, the feeling of Byleth cupping her was more intense than she had imagined it would be. And, oh, she  _ had  _ imagined. Edelgard’s eyes fluttered open to see that Byleth was staring into them, her face asking,  _ wanting _ . Her fingers dug into Byleth’s bicep in anticipation.

Then reality came crashing down. The heat of Byleth’s waiting fingers resting against her, the heaving of her own breath, the moment that they were slipping so seamlessly into. She let go of Byleth’s arm, pushed herself away.

“I’m a virgin,” Edelgard blurted, unable to stop herself.

Dear god, she was a moron. It wasn’t that she felt any shame, but it wasn’t really the sexiest thing to say to a woman who really seemed to want to have sex with you. Byleth pulled her hand back and placed Edelgard’s leg back on the bed. She had clearly heard the panic in the declaration.

“We don’t have to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable,” Byleth assured her, “Ever.”

Edelgard felt both relieved and disappointed at the same time. While it was true that she didn’t want to move too fast, she had wanted to have sex with Byleth for the past two months. Had wanted it badly. How was she supposed to know when it was the right time? 

“Thank you,” she whispered, not sure how to communicate the complexity of what she was feeling.

Byleth smiled a soft, lopsided smile at her before planting a rather chaste kiss on her lips. Was it over just like that? Even though Edelgard was nervous about the idea of Byleth touching her more intimately, she didn’t want to discard the energy and heat that had built between them. She watched for a moment as Byleth tried to struggle her way back into the shirt. Edelgard sat up and put a hand on her shoulder.

“Stop,” she growled, more assertive than she had expected, “That doesn’t mean I’m done with  _ you _ .”

Byleth’s face flickered from surprise, to confusion, to a heated smile. Every expression was subtle on her, but Edelgard was watching her closely enough to note even the most minute change. 

Byleth brought her hand to cup Edelgard’s cheek and stroke the skin with her thumb. “You don’t have to push anything. I can wait.”

Edelgard lifted her hand and placed it on top of Byleth’s. She leaned into the touch and allowed herself to deflate a bit, letting some of the tension soak out of her.

“I want to make you feel good, Byleth. I’ve… dreamed about it. Not just you touching me but…” She paused to contemplate just how honest she wanted to be. “But about me touching you too.”

Byleth’s eyes shone with an expression that Edelgard couldn’t quite place.

“I’ve dreamed about you too, El. So, so, much.” And, as always, her voice was velvet.

With little to no effort, Byleth hoisted Edelgard up and planted her on her lap so they were facing one another. Edelgard adjusted herself so her knees were planted firmly on the mattress, one of Byleth’s legs between them. Their next kiss was as heady as all of the others, but Edelgard made sure to take her time instead of getting carried away. Byleth’s lips parted readily for her tongue. The inside of her mouth was hot, eager, sweet. Finally, Edelgard brought her hands back up to Byleth’s breasts. She held them, marvelling at their weight and the way they molded to her palms. She brushed her thumbs across Byleth’s nipples and swallowed the sigh that followed.

Edelgard was not sure when Byleth laid down, but soon she was on top of her, hands braced on either side of her head, looking down at a sight more irresistible than she had ever imagined. Byleth’s hair was splayed around her face, a sea of deep blue in beautiful contrast to the red flush that had come to her cheeks. Edelgard dragged her finger across that perfect jawline and watched as Byleth shuddered. She paused, not sure what to do next. Yes, she wanted to touch Byleth more, but what would be best? There were so many things they could do, but she had no idea what Byleth liked.

“Is that all?” Byleth teased, smiling wickedly and showing off those canines.

“What if I said yes?” Edelgard quipped back, the attempt at banter serving to bring her out of her head just a bit.

Byleth put on a serious face. “Then I would respect you and put a shirt on.”

Edelgard laughed, and Byleth’s smile returned and crinkled the corners of her perfect eyes.

“Well, it’s not.”

She planted a kiss on the corner of Byleth’s jaw before trailing her lips down downward to her chest. Sucking on the soft skin elicited a breathless declaration of her name, and so she continued, coloring the skin with her lips and teeth as Byleth had done to her so recently. It was when she took a nipple in her mouth and rolled it lightly between her teeth that Byleth clutched onto her back and locked her legs around Edelgard’s, pulling her even closer. They were locked together for a while, sweaty and straining. Byleth was enjoying herself, but it was clear that she needed more. Friction and pressure didn’t seem to be as effective for her as they were for Edelgard. And she wanted so badly to make her come. There was no point in guessing what she should do.

Placing sloppy kisses on the corner of Byleth’s mouth, Edelgard asked, “How do you want me to touch you?”

Instead of responding, Byleth took her hand and brought it down between her thighs. Edelgard could feel how hot she was–how wet–without even touching her.

“Is this okay?” Byleth asked, “I can show you what to do.”

Edelgard nodded, barely believing this was real. Byleth let go of her hand for a moment and slid off her shorts and underwear. Edelgard’s eyes traveled the length of Byleth’s body– her lean, cut muscles on display, the deep curve of her hips and breasts. Her tattoo spread all the way down from her back to her hip, curling around her, intricate and complex. Edelgard could have spent all night tracing its patterns with her hands and eyes, but there was so much more to take in. So much more to enjoy.

After a series of kisses, Byleth took Edelgard’s hand once more and brought it back to her center. Her hair was curly and so dark blue it was almost black. 

“Fuck, Byleth, you’re so wet,” she sighed.

Cliche? Absolutely. But there was nothing else to say.

“It’s because of you, you know,” Byleth hummed. “Here.”

And she showed Edelgard what to do, holding her hand the whole time, guiding herself closer and closer to climax. Edelgard rode the wave with her, watching her face contort then soften, feeling her body tighten and shudder. She could hardly breathe, so caught up was she in Byleth’s splendor. Soon, their movements became erratic, desperate. Edelgard did her best to keep up, to find their rhythm. And then, Byleth came crashing down. She didn’t scream, but she held Edelgard so hard that it took her breath away.

“That was… that was really good, El. You’re so good,” Byleth mumbled as she relaxed back into the mattress.

She moved their hands away and wiped their fingers off on the sheets. Before Edelgard could roll off of her, Byleth shifted so they were lying more comfortably, her arm wrapped securely around Edelgard, lazy fingers tracing nonsensical patterns on her back. They lay like that for a while, just breathing, both lost in their own thoughts. Edelgard almost drifted back to sleep, but her brain was still too active to let her slip away.

Would it really be too much to have Byleth touch her the same way? Just the thought of those strong fingers made her feel weak. Edelgard trailed her fingers down Byleth’s arm as she thought. They could easily fall asleep now and she would have no regrets about the night, but…

“I changed my mind.”

Byleth opened her eyes and looked at her with a question. There was a sleepy, satisfied smile on her face, but it was clear that she was fully awake and waiting for Edelgard to continue.

“I want you.”

And that was enough. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so! i don't usually write smut so i hope that worked for everyone :)
> 
> i've got some fun stuff planned for the coming chapters so i hope everyone is looking forward! 
> 
> as always please let me know what you thought of the chapter! i really pushed myself on this one bc i'm more of a fluff writer in general but i think it came out pretty nice :) i adore comments and i also love chatting on twitter [@shadocoon!](https://www.twitter.com/shadocoon)
> 
> -sarah
> 
> p.s. if you're like me and love catradora a lot alongside edeleth my gf is writing a fic for them that you can find [here!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25054843/chapters/60683485) ! i beta it so i can guarantee it's a good time hehe


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